PRIME MINISTER

Departmental Staff

Mark Hoban: To ask the Prime Minister how many staff work on the Downing Street switchboard, broken down by Civil Service grade.

Gordon Brown: As at 1 April 2008 12 staff worked on the Downing Street switchboard.

Stress

Greg Hands: To ask the Prime Minister what arrangements his Office has in place to assist officials to overcome the effects of stress experienced in the workplace.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary Cabinet Office, (Mr. Watson) today.

Wouter Basson

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Prime Minister if he will direct the relevant authorities to investigate the claim made by Wouter Basson during his trial in South Africa in July 2000 that an illicit weapons cache, including chemical weapons, seized by HM Customs and Excise (HMCE) was subsequently stolen from an HMCE warehouse following information he provided; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: I have been asked to reply.
	HMRC officials have reviewed their historical records and have found no evidence to support the claim that a weapons cache, including chemical weapons, was stolen from a HMCE/HMRC warehouse.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Borders

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether funding is provided by his Department to counties in the Republic of Ireland which border Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) can confirm that it provides no funding to any counties in the Republic of Ireland.

Departmental Public Participation

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many citizens' juries his Department has held since 1 July 2007; what the cost was of each; what issues were discussed at each event; and how many  (a) Ministers and  (b) members of the public attended each event.

Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office has not held any citizens' juries since 1 July 2007.

Departmental Temporary Employment

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which companies were used by his Department for providing temporary staff in each of the last five years; and what the value of contracts with each such company was in each of those years.

Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO), excluding its agencies, executive non-departmental public bodies and public inquiries, have made the following payments to recruitment agencies in the last five financial years:
	
		
			  £ 
			  Recruitment Agency  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Brook Street (UK) Ltd. 0.00 0.00 2,403.75 913.42 35,712.89 
			 Diamond Recruitment 9,699.84 14,811.99 10,555.42 10,332.81 16,092.65 
			 Excel Recruitment Ltd. 24,915.03 14,473.16 0.00 0.00 0.00 
			 Grafton Recruitment 32,431.98 31,739.91 76,451.18 112,394.12 100,458.31 
			 Hays Accounting Personnel 31,518.36 29,992.96 31,992.13 43,846.28 27,262.03 
			 Select Recruitment 1,318.15 23,782.99 9,388.80 0.00 0.00 
			 Tim Lewis Recruitment Ltd. 0.00 6,553.00 5,512.30 1,522.13 0.00 
			 Total 99,883.36 121,354.01 136,303.58 169,008.76 179,525.88 
		
	
	The figures in this table include both the costs for appointing staff to the Department and the salaries paid to temporary staff members.

Young Offenders

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of  (a) people in young offender centres in and  (b) the population of Northern Ireland are (i) male, (ii) female, (iii) of each religion, (iv) from an ethnic minority, (v) from each socio-economic group and (vi) resident of each district council area; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: At 21 October, there were 53 female prisoners and 207 male young offenders and juveniles held at Hydebank Wood young offenders centre and prison. The other information relating to young offenders/ prisoners is detailed in the following tables. As Prison Service records do not identify residency by district council area, the information has been provided on a county basis.
	The Northern Ireland Prison Service has an obligation to ensure that all of its policies and procedures are fair to all who come into contact with it and is fully committed to its statutory obligations under section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, and all other relevant equality and anti-discrimination legislation and duties.
	Responsibility for the provision of figures for the general population of Northern Ireland is a matter for the devolved administration.
	
		
			  Religion 
			   Male  Female 
			   Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 Atheist 2 0.97 — — 
			 Christian 2 0.97 6 11.32 
			 Church of Ireland 16 7.73 10 18.87 
			 Evangelical 2 0.97 — — 
			 Free Presbyterian 9 4.35 — — 
			 Methodist 6 2.90 2 3.77 
			 Muslim 2 0.97 1 1.89 
			 Presbyterian 45 21.73 5 9.43 
			 Roman Catholic 107 51.68 16 30.19 
			 Baptist 1 0.48 — — 
			 None 12 5.80 7 13.21 
			 Other 3 1.45 6 11.32 
		
	
	
		
			  Ethnicity 
			   Male  Female 
			   Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 Black African 2 0.97 2 3.77 
			 Chinese/Oriental 2 0.97 12 22.65 
			 Irish Traveller 4 1.93 — — 
			 White 198 95.65 36 67.92 
			 Afro Caribbean — — 3 5.66 
			 Arab 1 0.48 — — 
		
	
	
		
			  Socio-Economic group 
			   Male  Female 
			   Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 Unemployed 166 80.19 41 77.36 
			 Routine occupations 41 19.81 12 22.64 
		
	
	
		
			  Residency 
			   Male  Female 
			   Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 County Antrim 106 51.21 16 30.20 
			 County Armagh 11 5.31 2 3.77 
			 County Down 35 16.91 8 15.10 
			 County Fermanagh 9 4.35 2 3.77 
			 County Londonderry 20 9.66 2 3.77 
			 County Tyrone 10 4.83 5 9.43 
			 Outside Northern Ireland 3 1.45 8 15.09 
			 No fixed abode 13 6.28 10 18.87

SCOTLAND

Departmental Pensions

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many and what proportion of civil servants in his Department are members of the  (a) Classic,  (b) Classic Plus,  (c) Nuvos and  (d) Premium civil service pension schemes.

Ann McKechin: All staff in the Scotland Office are on secondment from the Scottish Executive or the Ministry of Justice. The Office does not maintain a central record of the pension status of staff; such records are held by the parent Departments.

Departmental Public Participation

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many citizens' juries his Department has held since 1 July 2007; what the cost was of each; what issues were discussed at each event; and how many  (a) Ministers and  (b) members of the public attended each event.

Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office has not arranged any citizens' juries since 1 July 2007.

Departmental Recruitment

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many vacant posts in his Department were advertised in each of the last three years; and at what cost.

Ann McKechin: All the staff in the Scotland Office are on loan from other Government Departments and the Office reimburses those Departments for the costs involved. In the last three years, the Office has directly advertised externally for one post, and contributed towards the advertising costs of a joint campaign with the Scottish Executive for other staff, at a total cost of £8,069.

Plain English

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many documents produced by his Department were submitted to the Plain English Campaign for approval for Crystal Mark status in each year since 2005; and how many documents achieved such status in each year.

Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office has not submitted any documents to the Plain English Campaign for Crystal Mark status.

Plain English

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department has spent on Plain English Campaign training courses in each year since 2005.

Ann McKechin: The main objectives for the Scotland Office set out in its annual report do not envisage the production of documents for public consumption and accordingly it has not felt necessary for staff to attend such courses.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

EC Countries: Asylum

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that other European Union states share responsibility for providing asylum to those from outside the EU who require it.

Caroline Flint: The Government have actively participated in the existing Common European Asylum System of directives establishing minimum standards for asylum practices and procedures, and the Dublin Regulation determining responsibility for examining asylum claims.
	The Government welcome the opportunity afforded by the European Commission's Policy Plan on Asylum and the Migration Pact which was agreed at the October European Council, to develop greater practical cooperation between member states and non-governmental organisations in the area of asylum.

Falkland Islands: Argentina

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent assessment is of the state of relations between the Falkland Islands and Argentina.

Gillian Merron: The United Kingdom is responsible for the Falkland Islands' foreign relations. The UK values its relationship with Argentina as an important international partner. We have a close and productive relationship on a range of bilateral and multilateral issues, including human rights, sustainable development and counter-proliferation, and continue to look for practical ways to co-operate with Argentina on a range of South Atlantic issues. However, the Argentine sovereignty claim to the Falkland Islands and the Argentine refusal to recognise the democratically elected Falkland Islands Government, casts a shadow over our relationship. The principle of self-determination, enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, underlies our position on the Falkland Islands.

Iraq: Asylum

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 15 September 2008,  Official Report, column 2186W, on Iraq: asylum, how many of the 422 applications received by the UK Border Agency from Iraqi nationals under the Gateway Protection Programme have now been approved; how many new applications have since been received; and how many of these applications have been approved.

Bill Rammell: Of the 422 Iraqi individuals who had been referred to the UK Border Agency for resettlement under the Gateway Protection Programme before 15 September, 256 individuals (91 case applicants) have so far been approved. Since 15 September, three new case applications (nine individuals) have been received. None of these have yet been approved.

Iraq: Asylum

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 15 September 2008,  Official Report, column 2186W, on Iraq: asylum, of those applications  (a) received by the UK Border Agency from Iraqi nationals under the Gateway Protection Programme and  (b) for exceptional leave to remain under the Locally Employed Staff Assistance scheme, how many have included claims for dependants; what the total number is of dependants claimed on each scheme; and how many dependants are associated with those applications which have been approved.

Bill Rammell: Information on the total number of dependants covered by applications to the locally employed staff assistance scheme is not held centrally, and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost. To date, 165 dependants have been approved for resettlement in the UK under the Gateway programme, and 51 dependants have been granted indefinite leave to enter under the scheme for serving staff.

Israel: Terrorism

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he received of terrorist attacks in the State of Israel since July 2008; what discussions he has had with the Government of the State of Israel on terrorism in Israel since July 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We welcome the Gaza ceasefire which has reduced the number of attacks and brought calm to the lives of civilians in both southern Israel and in Gaza. However, the UK remains concerned by any attack against Israel.
	There have been five attacks during the period in question in Jerusalem and the State of Israel. These were:
	On 2 July, three Israelis were killed and 66 injured (including two infants) by a Palestinian using a bulldozer to attack cars, pedestrians, and two buses in West Jerusalem.
	On 11 July, a border patrolman was shot by a Palestinian terrorist in West Jerusalem. The policeman died on 23 July from his injuries.
	On 23 July, 16 Israelis were injured in an attack using a bulldozer in West Jerusalem against a bus and four other vehicles; the driver was killed by police.
	On 22 September, 17 soldiers were injured in an attack by a Palestinian driving a car into a group of Israelis at an intersection in West Jerusalem; the driver was shot and killed.
	On 23 September, a pipe bomb exploded outside the house of Professor Zeev Sternhell in West Jerusalem. A Jewish right wing terrorist was suspected of carrying out the attack.
	There have also been a number of rocket attacks from Gaza into the State of Israel, but there has been no confirmation of any injuries or damage as a result of these attacks.
	We discuss various issues, including security, with Israeli officials on a regular basis and will continue to devote our efforts to the Annapolis process with the vision of two states, living side by side in peace and security.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions  (a) he,  (b) Ministers in his Department,  (c) officials in his Department,  (d) the British Ambassador to Egypt and  (e) officials in the British Embassy in Egypt have had since August 2008 with the Government of Egypt on the trafficking of (i) weapons and (ii) people into Gaza from Egypt via under-border tunnels; what response was received in each case; what reports he has received on the number of tunnels between Gaza and Egypt that have been (A) discovered and (B) closed; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The UK welcomes any appropriate action taken to reduce trafficking of weapons and people into Gaza. Earlier in the year, we pressed Egypt to act on smuggling. But this issue has not been explicitly raised with the Egyptian authorities since August 2008.
	Egypt is actively addressing the issue. With the number of tunnels being discovered and closed constantly changing, we are unable to provide a definitive figure, but we continue to monitor the situation.

Sri Lanka: Human Rights

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons Colonel Karuna was released from UK custody; what assessment he has made of Colonel Karuna's status as a member of the Sri Lanka parliament given the allegations of human rights abuses against him; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: Venamoorthi Muralitharan (aka Karuna Amman) was removed from the UK on 2 July, after completing a custodial sentence for possessing false documents. At the time, the Crown Prosecution Service advised that there was insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction in the UK for other offences.

Sri Lanka: Human Rights

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on Sri Lanka's candidacy for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The UK expects every member of the UN Human Rights Council to act in accordance with the spirit of UN General Assembly Resolution 60/251 in upholding the highest standards of human rights promotion and protection and co-operating fully with the Council.

Sri Lanka: Internally Displaced Persons

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to promote freedom of movement for displaced people in the Vanni region of Sri Lanka.

Bill Rammell: On 26 September, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development stressed to President Rajapakse the need to secure the humanitarian space of some 200 to 250 thousand people affected by renewed conflict.
	I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development, Michael Foster, on the humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka during the debate on 15 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 240-49WH.

Sri Lanka: Internally Displaced Persons

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Sri Lankan authorities on recent events in the Vanni region of Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: On 26 September, my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for International Development met President Rajapakse in New York and raised the issue of the humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka. They stressed the need to secure the humanitarian space and provide humanitarian relief in northern Sri Lanka and called for a sustainable political solution to the conflict.

Sri Lanka: Politics and Government

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Sri Lankan Government over their responsibility to  (a) ensure that security forces operate under the rule of domestic and international law and  (b) bring to justice those of the security forces who commit crimes, including war crimes and abuses of human rights; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We remain deeply concerned about the humanitarian rights situation in Sri Lanka and urge all parties to the conflict to respect the rights of civilians. We continue to press for full investigation of alleged breaches of international law and action to bring perpetrators to justice. In July, my noble Friend, the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, Lord Malloch-Brown, raised the UK's concerns over human rights in Sri Lanka with the Sri Lankan government, including with President Rajapakse, and the Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapakse.

Sri Lanka: Politics and Government

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the recent statement by the International Committee of the Red Cross on the misrepresentation of its findings by the Sri Lankan Government.

Bill Rammell: We share the International Committee of the Red Cross's concerns over the human rights situation in Sri Lanka. My noble Friend, the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, Lord Malloch-Brown, expressed similar concerns to President Rajapakse, his Ministers and senior officials during his visit to Sri Lanka this summer.

Sudan: Peace Negotiations

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of progress in implementing a consultation process with the population of the Nuba Mountains as part of the Sudan Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

Gillian Merron: We have had no reports of progress in implementing the consultation process with the population in the Nuba Mountains. We are monitoring developments in the region because of the specific references to the Nuba Mountains in the Comprehensive Peace Agreements, which we continue to press all parties to implement in full.

UN Convention on Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reservations have been sought by the Government on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The United Kingdom signed the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1981, and ratified with reservations in 1986. The UK reservations in 1986 were general reservations (a-d), and specific reservations on article 1, 2, 9, 10, 11, 15 and 16. Since that time the Government have not sought any new reservations on the Convention and have withdrawn a number of reservations, most notably in 1995 and 1996.
	The UK's sixth periodic report to the CEDAW committee on progress towards the implementation of the Convention was submitted on 1 May 2007. The report notes that the UK has withdrawn the CEDAW reservation relating to immigration and has modified the reservation relating to the throne and the armed forces. The UK currently has reservations on: general reservations (a, c, and d), and specific reservations on article 9, 11, 15(3) and 16.
	The current reservations will be reviewed in 2008-09 as part of the follow up plan from the UK's examination by the CEDAW Committee in July 2008.

OLYMPICS

Olympic Games 2012: Finance

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics if she will provide a breakdown by main budget heading of the  (a) £66 million contribution to paralympic costs and  (b) £32 million allocated to the Look of London contained in the public sector funding package for London 2012.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 23 October 2008
	The £66 million is the Government's planned contribution, within the £9.325 billion funding package, towards the hosting of the Paralympic games by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG). The precise breakdown of costs will need to be agreed between LOCOG and the Government as detailed plans for the Paralympics develop.
	Expenditure on the Look of London is expected to take place in the financial years of 2011-12 and 2012-13. The breakdown of costs within this £32 million funding will be determined in the next spending round, and detailed budgets agreed nearer the time.

WOMEN AND EQUALITY

Departmental ICT

Mark Hoban: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what IT projects the Government Equalities Office is undertaking; and what the most recent estimate of  (a) the cost and  (b) the completion date of each is.

Maria Eagle: The Government Equalities Office is currently rebuilding its website at an estimated cost of £40,000. The project will be completed by the end of 2008. There are no other IT projects under way.

Departmental Official Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how much was spent on overnight accommodation by civil servants within the Government Equalities Office since its creation.

Maria Eagle: Over the past 12 months the Government Equalities Office has spent £2,600 on overnight accommodation.

Departmental Public Participation

Theresa May: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many citizens' juries the Government Equalities Office has held since 1 July 2007; what the cost was of each; what issues were discussed at each event; and how many  (a) Ministers and  (b) members of the public attended each event.

Maria Eagle: The Government Equalities Office has not held any citizens' juries since 1 July 2007.

Departmental Security

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many security passes have been reported  (a) lost and  (b) stolen by staff in the Government Equalities Office since its creation.

Maria Eagle: There have been two instances of building passes being lost since the Government Equalities Office (GEO) was created. These are included in the figures provided by my hon. Friend the Member for Tooting (Mr. Khan) for the Department for Communities and Local Government London headquarters building, where most of GEO's staff are based.

Departmental Trade Unions

Mark Hoban: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many civil servants in the Government Equalities Office were seconded to work for  (a) trades unions and  (b) the Trades Union Congress in each year since its inception.

Maria Eagle: No civil servants in the Government Equalities Office have been seconded to work for  (a) trade unions and  (b) the Trades Union Congress since its inception.

Domestic Violence: Sentencing

Roger Williams: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many successful prosecutions for domestic violence against women have resulted in a prison sentence for the perpetrator in the last five years.

Maria Eagle: It is not possible to identify separately domestic violence offences on the court proceedings database as the circumstances of offences are not collected centrally.

National Equalities Panel

Mark Hoban: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what estimate she has made of the cost of  (a) establishing the National Equalities Panel,  (b) running the panel in its first year and  (c) the salary which will be paid to panel members.

Maria Eagle: The total cost of the Panel is likely to be £400,000 over two financial years. It will be met by a Government research grant to the London School of Economics. Payment of the grant will be dependent on completion of agreed stages in the project. The Chair and panel members, who are leading experts in their fields will be paid £1,000 per day, for a maximum of 80 days for the Chair and eight days for each member.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces: Intimidation

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many calls have been logged on the armed forces anti-bullying confidential support line in the last 12 months; what procedures are in place to ensure that steps are taken to address  (a) allegations of bullying and  (b) identify patterns of abuse and bullying blackspots; and by what means the Service Complaints Commissioner is kept informed.

Bob Ainsworth: The armed forces do not run an 'armed forces anti-bullying confidential support line'. However, the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association runs a 'confidential support line' for a range of issues such as welfare, health and terms of service including concerns about bullying and harassment. The support line is available to serving personnel (of all services) together with their families and former members of the armed forces.
	Calls to the support line are logged under a series of generic headings including 'equality and diversity' which includes those concerning bullying, harassment and discrimination. During the period January to December 2007, the most recent period for which figures are available, 170 calls from serving service personnel relating to equality and diversity issues were logged, together with a further 19 from family members and veterans.
	The Department's unified diversity strategy makes clear that bullying and harassment are not tolerated under any circumstances and that the penalties for offenders are potentially severe.
	Joint Service Publication 763 'The MOD Harassment Complaints Procedure' sets out the procedures for all MOD Service and civilian personnel making, responding to, advising on, investigating, and deciding on, complaints of harassment.
	All units are required to have at least one qualified Equality and Diversity Advisor (EDA); larger units will have several. In addition to providing help and advice to individuals, EDAs are required to keep unit equality and diversity logs. The logs are regularly reviewed by unit commanders and statistical information is drawn upon by a tri-Service Evaluation Group (at commodore, colonel and group captain level) chaired by the Director Service Personnel Service Conditions along with other reports and statistics to identify trends and areas of concern.
	While conducting unit visits, the independent Service Complaints Commissioner is given access to unit logs and it has recently been agreed that she will also be provided with statistics from these logs bi-annually.

Armed Forces: Leave

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many days lost were recorded for service personnel in respect of  (a) rest and recuperation,  (b) post-operational tour and  (c) annual leave in each year since 2003.

Bob Ainsworth: Rest and Recuperation (R&R) is not classified as an entitlement and is given at the discretion of the chain of command. Leave, including post operational leave, should be recorded on the Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) system. The Defence Analytical Services Agency (DASA) undertake an annual leave survey designed to estimate the leave taken, carried forward and lost but it does not distinguish those personnel who were not able to take forward leave from those who chose to carry it forward to the next year. The survey findings from 1997-08 to 2006-07 are available in the Library of the House but, due to JPA data migration issues, DASA have not been able to conduct the 2007-08 survey.

Armed Forces: Termination of Employment

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel leaving the armed forces in each year since 2001 had completed  (a) under five years service,  (b) between five and 22 years service and  (c) over 22 years service.

Bob Ainsworth: The number of service personnel leaving the trained UK regular forces(1) in each financial year since 2001-02 is provided in the table:
	(1) Outflow from the UK Regular Forces includes recalled reservists on release and outflow to the Home Service Battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment. The Royal Irish Regiment disbanded on 31 March 2008.
	
		
			  Trained outflow by length of service 
			   All services  Fewer than five years  Five to 22 years  Over 22 years 
			 2001-02 17,930 5,470 7,690 4,770 
			 2002-03 16,850 5,380 6,560 4,920 
			 2003-04 16,460 5,540 6,510 4,420 
			 2004-05 17,600 5,970 7,060 4,580 
			 2005-06 18,140 5,440 7,310 5,400 
			 2006-07(1) (2)18,870 (2)5,450 (2)7,900 (2)5,230 
			 2007-08 (2)18,010 (2)4,660 (2)9,250 (2)4,100 
			 (1) Army outflow data split by length of service is unavailable for 1 March 2007 to 31 March 2007. Therefore, Army outflow figures broken down by length of service for FY 2006-07 comprises data from 1 March 2006 to 28 February 2007. The total trained outflow for UK Regular Forces for financial year 2006-07 was 18,870. The sum of the fewer than five years length of service, five to 22 years length of service and over 22 years service quoted in this table is 18,580. (2) Denotes provisional. Due to ongoing validation of data from the Joint Personnel Administration System, all service flow statistics for financial year 2006-07 and 2007-08 are provisional and subject to review.  Source: DASA Quad Service

Armed Forces: Training

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many instructors have enrolled in and completed training at the Staff Leadership School at Pirbright; how many and what proportion of instructors have completed the Train the Trainer courses; and what target date he has set for the completion of mandatory training for all instructors on the training estate.

Bob Ainsworth: A total of 2,244 instructors have enrolled and completed courses at the Army Staff Leadership School (ASLS) at Pirbright since its opening in April 2007. Of those, 1,791 completed the full and accredited Defence Train the Trainer (DTTT) course and the remainder completed an appropriately tailored version for personnel working in proximity of, but not directly instructing, trainees. At 30 September 2008 the proportion of instructors trained by ASLS was 81 per cent. across the training establishments commanded by Director General Army Recruiting and Training.
	The revised policy for staff delivering formal training, issued on 1 August 2008, requires all instructors to gain this qualification. This should, ideally, be achieved prior to taking up their instructional post or, where this is not possible, within three months of taking up instructional duties during which time they are to be very closely supervised. Work is in hand to ensure that all instructors in initial formal training have received the DTTT course, the current target being to ensure that, by December 2008, 95 per cent. of instructors have been trained.

Armed Forces: Training

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps have been taken by the Army to establish and maintain central records of written policy changes within the training estate.

Bob Ainsworth: The Army's policy for recruit training is maintained by Headquarters (HQ) Army Recruiting and Training Division (ARTD) and is derived from Defence and other Army policies. It is promulgated via the ARTD handbook, a web based document which is available to all Army training units via the Army Intranet. Each element of policy is owned by an officer within the HQ who is responsible for ensuring the published policy is kept up to date.

Armed Forces: Training

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many recruits enrolled in the Army Junior Entry Phase 1 training at  (a) Army Foundation College Harrogate,  (b) Army Training Regiment Winchester and  (c) other establishments in 2007; and what progress has been made extending the duration of Phase 1 training at Army Training Regiment Bassingbourn.

Bob Ainsworth: In financial year 2007-08, 1,309 Junior Entry recruits commenced training at the Army Foundation College Harrogate and 863 at Army Training Regiment Bassingbourn.
	Junior Entry training switched from Bassingbourn to Army Training Regiment Winchester in August/September 2008. This is in line with the recommendation in Sir Nicholas Blake QC's "Deepcut Review" that those under 17 should be trained in establishments catering exclusively for this age group. Prior to this, no junior entry training was conducted at Winchester.
	There are currently no plans to extend the Junior Entry Phase 1 course at Winchester beyond its present 23 weeks, which consists of 20 weeks tuition and three weeks leave.

Armed Forces: Young People

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) 16-year-olds and  (b) 17-year-olds were recruited into each of the armed services in (i) 2002 and (ii) 2007; and how many recruits aged under 18 years of age were allocated to units for military duties.

Bob Ainsworth: The following table shows the number of 16 and 17-year-olds that were recruited into each service of the UK regular armed forces(1) in the financial years 2002-03 and 2007-08.
	
		
			   All services  Naval service  Army  RAF 
			   16  17  16  17  16  17  16  17 
			 2002-03 4,430 5,035 585 970 3,600 3,330 245 735 
			 2007-08 (1)2,575 (1)3,405 (1)280 (1)550 (1)2,200 (1)2,550 (1)95 (1)305 
			 (1) Provisional.  Source: DASA Quad-Service. 
		
	
	Armed forces personnel are not allocated to units for military duties until they have completed training. The number of trained UK regular armed forces(1) personnel under the age of 18 as at 1 April 2002, 2003, 2007 and 2008 is shown in the following table.
	(1) UK Regular Forces includes all trained and untrained personnel. Gurkhas, Full Time Reserve personnel, and mobilised reservists are excluded.
	
		
			  As at  1 April:  All services  Naval service  Army  RAF 
			 2002 1,060 205 755 100 
			 2003 1,190 255 830 100 
			 2007 (1)770 85 (1)675 10 
			 2008 (1)640 (1)110 (1)515 (1)10 
			 (1) Provisional.  Note: Due to ongoing validation of data from the joint personnel administration system, all Naval service flow statistics for 12-month periods ending 31 October 2006 onwards, and Naval service strength statistics from 1 May 2007 are provisional and subject to review. All Army flow statistics for 12-month periods ending 31 March 2007 onwards and strength statistics from 1 April 2007 are provisional and subject to review. All RAF flow statistics for 12-month periods ending 30 April 2007 onwards and strength statistics from 1 May 2007 are provisional and subject to review.  Source: DASA Quad-Service. 
		
	
	The Government have made a clear commitment to take all feasible measures to ensure that those who had not yet reached the age of 18 did not take a direct part in hostilities.

Army: Training

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures are in place to monitor delays in Phase 2 training in the army; how many individuals were subject to delays in  (a) 2005 and  (b) 2007; what record is kept of individual training plans; and how statistical information is collected on training.

Bob Ainsworth: The Army Recruiting and Training Division (ARTD) Headquarters do not record the total number of individuals who are subject to delays per calendar year. A monthly report is created by each Arms and Service school illustrating those recruits who have been delayed in commencing aspects of Phase 2 training. Courses start and finish all the time and so this figure should only be considered a 'snapshot' of the delays in the training pipeline at a particular point in time.
	The following table gives the average number of recruits who have amassed more than a 14 day cumulative delay prior to reaching Phase 2 training. Data is collected within the first five days of each month. These snapshots of data over the months of the financial years shown have been averaged to show the general standard of delays to Phase 2 in the years requested.
	Prior to the end of Phase 1, recruits receive a plan which outlines what Phase 2 consists of and they also visit their Phase 2 establishment. During their Phase 2 induction week, they are given an individual training plan which details their proposed training schedule. Delays can be caused by a number of factors, not all of which are within the Army's control. However, ARTD takes positive steps to minimise delays. Where delays are unavoidable training programmes are run so as to maintain interest, fitness and military skills. A recruit would normally have leave between courses and delays are therefore not calculated until after 14 days.
	
		
			  Number of recruits with more than 14 days delay 
			   Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  Jan  Feb  Mar  Average monthly figure 
			 2005-06 700 687 652 673 654 592 644 648 1363 632 710 663 718 
			 2007-08 809 848 775 836 820 876 794 826 979 886 n/a 896 850 
			  Note: 1. No data was available in February 2008 due to a two week system disruption.

Defence

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has for a new defence review.

John Hutton: There are currently no plans for a new defence review. Defence policy and commitments are kept under continuous review.

Defence: Procurement

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the proposed Directive  (a) COM(2007) 0766 on public procurement in the fields of defence and security and  (b) COM(2007) 0765 on terms and conditions of defence-related product transfers within the EC; and if he will make a statement.

Quentin Davies: We share the Commission's desire for the creation of a more effective European defence equipment market that is open, transparent and competitive. We are working positively with the Commission and other member states to reach agreement on directives which would provide benefit to the conduct of defence business for all stakeholders while protecting the UK's strategic interests. A defence and security procurement directive also has the potential to improve British industry's access to European defence markets and to improve its competitiveness worldwide. The proposed terms of the transfers directive are consistent with the way in which the UK export licensing system currently operates.

Departmental Consultations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what public consultations his Department has undertaken in the last month.

Kevan Jones: The Ministry of Defence had two open public consultations during the month of September. Consultation on UK Defence Spectrum Management closed on 5 September 2008, and consultation on the MOD's revised Welsh Language Scheme closed on 8 October. Documents for public consultation and the MOD's response to comments that are received can be viewed at:
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/ConsultationsandCommunications/PublicConsultations/RevisedModWelshLanguageScheme.htm

Departmental Recruitment

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civil servants in his Department were recruited through the fast stream; and what the average salary of those officials is.

Kevan Jones: The specific number of civil servants employed by the Ministry of Defence who were recruited through the Fast Stream whether into the Ministry of Defence directly, or via other Departments, is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. As at 21 October 2008 there were 131 civil servants employed by the Ministry of Defence on the Fast Stream scheme. Those who joined the Department on the current pay deal will earn between a minimum of £22,960 and a maximum of £40,515 per year while on the scheme.

Hercules Aircraft: Safety

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what advice Ministers had received prior to 2005 on fitting of foam suppressant on the Hercules wing-tanks.

Bob Ainsworth: None.

Military Exercises

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what percentage of training exercises have been cancelled in 2008; and for what reason each exercise was cancelled.

Bob Ainsworth: Of the 584 training exercises scheduled to take place in 2008, 55 have been cancelled (9.4 per cent.); reasons for each cancellation are listed as follows.
	
		
			  Ser  Exercise name  Start  End  Reason for cancellation 
			 1. Lion Sun 12—07/08 1 January 20008 29 February 2008 Savings Measure 
			 1. Lion Sun 13—07/08 1 January 2008 29 February 2008 Savings Measure 
			 1. Snow Falcon 08 10 January 2008 25 January 2008 Savings Measure 
			 1. Red Flag 08-2.1 13 January2008 26 January 2008 Alternative exercise opportunity pursued 
			 1. Oak Apple 24 January 2008 5 April 2008 Kenyan domestic instability 
			 1. Grand Prix 3—07/08 28 January 2008 20 March 2008 Kenyan domestic instability 
			 1. Lion Sun 14—07/08 1 February 2008 31 March 2008 Savings Measure 
			 1. Red Flag 08-2.2 2 February 2008 15 February 2008 Alternative exercise opportunity pursued 
			 1. Noble Midas 4 February 2008 16 February 2008 Airframe availability 
			 1. Druids Dance 9—07/08 18 February 2008 9 March 2008 Re-programming removed need for exercise 
			 1. Green Flag West 08-4 20 February 2008- 7 March 2008 Alternative exercise opportunity pursued 
			 1. Lone Fin 08 5 March 2008 16 March 2008 Savings measure 
			 1. Grand Prix 1—08/09 10 March 2008 26 April 2008 Kenyan domestic instability 
			 1. Spontex 08-1 12 March 2008 23 March 2008 No aircraft availability 
			 1. Makran Osprey 31 March 2008 11 April 2008 Political instability in Pakistan forced withdrawal of the AIR component and made the Ex untenable 
			 1. Bald Eagle 08/09 1 April 2008 1 May 2008 No unit available 
			 l. Lion Sun 1—08/09 18 April 2008 16 May 2008 Savings Measure 
			 1. Sphinx 21 April 2008 30 April 2008 No AAR available 
			 1. Lion Sun 2—08/09 25 April 2008 23 May 2008 Savings Measure 
			 1. Bass Rock 08/09 1 May 2008 1 October 2008 Exchange. Cancelled at Canadian request 
			 1. Fingals Cave 08/09 1 May 2008 1 October 2008 Exchange. Cancelled at Canadian request 
			 1. Flying Rose 2—08/09 1 May 2008 1 October 2008 Exchange. Cancelled at US request 
			 1. Mulberry Tree/Prickly Pear 08/09 1 May 2008 1 October 2008 Exchange with US. Cancelled by mutual agreement due to lack of available forces on either side 
			 1. Stoney Run 08/09 1 May 2008 1 October 2008 Exchange ex—UK leg went ahead but US leg cancelled due to unavailability of AT 
			 1. Winged Star 08/09 1 May 2008 1 October 2008 Airborne focused exchange. Neither UK nor US airborne forces available due to ops 
			 1. Lion Sun 3—08/09 30 May 2008 27 June 2008 Savings Measure 
			 1. 150 Tpt Regt(V) Obua Trg 31 May 2008 1 June2008 Trg area unavailable 
			 1. Frukus 1 June 2008 28 June 2008 Russia/Georgia dispute resulted in cancellation 
			 1. Blue Flag 2 June 2008 13 June 2008 Cancelled by host nation (USA) 
			 1. Elite 2 June 2008 18 June 2008 Savings measure 
			 1. Loyal Arrow 16 June 2008 27 June 2008 Ex cancelled by NATO 
			 1. Coop Mako 08 19 June 2008 30 June 2008 Cancelled by sponsor 
			 1. Lion Sun 4—08/09 20 June 2008 18 July 2008 Savings Measure 
			 1. Batus Run 23 June 2008 29 June 2008 Change to dates prevented Air participation 
			 1. Lion Sun 5—08/09 27 June 2008 25 July 2008 Savings Measure 
			 1. Uhlan Eagle 08/09 1 July 2008 30 July 2008 Re-programming removed need for exercise 
			 1. Trg weekend 150 Tpt Regt (V) 14 July 2008 15 July 2008 Trg area unavailable 
			 1. First Jog 15 July 2008 17 July 2008 Ex Objs reached in an earlier exercise 
			 1. Lion Sun 6—08/09 18 July 2008 15 August 2008 Savings Measure 
			 1. Lion Sun 7—08/09 25 July 2008 22 August 2008 Savings Measure 
			 1. Lion Sun 8—08/09 15 August 2008 12 September 2008 Savings Measure 
			 1. Lion Sun 9—08/09 22 August 2008 19 September 2008 Savings Measure 
			 1. Outreach 4—Georgian Express 1 September 2008 1 October 2008 Russian-Georgian hostilities 
			 1. Slovak Hawk 1 September 2008 8 September 2008 Budget cuts 
			 1. Tricolour 3—08/09 1 September 2008 1 October 2008 No unit available 
			 1. Lion Sun 10—08/09 12 September 2008 10 October 2008 Savings Measure 
			 1. Lion Sun 11—08/09 19 September 2008 17 October 2008 Savings Measure 
			 1. Log Provider 08 22 September 2008 3 October 0208 Operational Commitments 
			 1. Sapper Sands 29 September 2008 10 October 2008 Unit unavailable 
			 1. Trg Ex—75 Engr Regt (V) 11 October 2008 12 October 2008 Operational Commitments 
			 1. Trg Ex—75 Engr Regt (V) 25 October 20-08 26 October 2008 Operational Commitments 
			 1. Trg Ex—75 Engr Regt (V) 30 October 2008 31 October 2008 Operational Commitments 
			 1. Uhlan Barbara 08/09 1 November 2008 25 November 2008 Re-programming removed need for exercise 
			 1. Flotex Silver 24 November 2008 5 December 2008 Host nation reduced scale of Ex to National only, cancelling INVITEX component 
			 1. White Phoenix 1 December 2008 5 December 2008 Training moved to early 2009

Persian Gulf: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many seaborne incidents in the Persian Gulf involving coalition forces and  (a) armed gangs and  (b) the Iranian navy have been recorded since January 2008.

John Hutton: Since January 2008 there have been no recorded significant seaborne incidents between coalition forces and non-state forces in the Persian Gulf. Coalition ships operating in the Persian Gulf regularly interact with the Iranian navy but since January 2008 there have been no reports of significant incidents of concern.

Submarines: Decommissioning

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made in the development of plans for the dismantling and storage of submarines at Plymouth and Rosyth.

Quentin Davies: As stated in the answer of 15 July 2008,  Official Report, column 312W, to the hon. Member for South-West Devon (Mr. Streeter), the ISOLUS project team continues to take forward technical and siting issues in conjunction with stakeholder groups, with a technical options study due to conclude by the end of this year, and the project procurement strategy being developed within the context of the Defence Industrial Strategy. The project remains committed to further public consultation before major decisions are made.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Airports: Foreign Workers

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department takes to check members of foreign aircrew landing in the UK for  (a) immigration status and  (b) criminal offences.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 27 October 2008
	Crew members who are based in the United Kingdom and those who arrive as passengers in order to join an aircraft as a member of the crew, are subject to the same controls and checks as other passengers. In line with the Immigration Act 1971, other arriving aircrew are able to enter the UK without leave from an immigration officer, provided they are embarking as crew within seven days.
	This concession is monitored through joint operations conducted by the UK Border Agency, HM Revenue and Customs and the police, on a risk-assessed, intelligence-led basis. Close liaison is maintained with the carriers regarding any criminal offences committed by those allowed to operate in this country as aircrew.
	In future, e-Borders will require carriers to provide all passenger and crew data to the UK Border Agency, in advance of travel, for journeys to and from the United Kingdom. This data will be checked against watchlists and when a person of interest is identified, the relevant law enforcement agency will be notified. A comprehensive travel history will also be maintained, allowing us to record who has travelled to the United Kingdom, whether as crew or passenger, and when they have left.

Antisocial Behaviour: Liverpool

Robert Wareing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will visit the Croxteth and Norris Green districts of Liverpool in the near future to discuss anti social behaviour with the police and representatives of the local communities.

Alan Campbell: My right hon. Friend has no plans to visit the Croxteth and Norris Green districts of Liverpool in the near future. However, we have provided practitioners including the police with a wide range of tools and powers to tackle antisocial behaviour, issue guidance on their use, provide information through a practitioner website and set up a free telephone advice line to provide specific support on individual problems. We also deliver regional workshops to help local practitioners make the best use of the available tools and powers.

Asylum

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the rate of absconding was of  (a) single men,  (b) single women,  (c) families and  (d) unaccompanied child asylum seekers who were not held in detention and whose claim for asylum had (i) been refused with removal from the United Kingdom imminent, (ii) been refused and where removal from the United Kingdom was not possible on human rights or humanitarian grounds and (iii) were yet to be processed in the latest period for which figures are available.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 21 October 2008
	The requested information is not collated centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Asylum

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information her Department provides to the authorities in the country of origin of an asylum seeker without documents as part of the re-documentation process.

Phil Woolas: In cases where a travel document is required information is exchanged with embassies and high commissions, but this is limited to personal biographical data related to the individual applicant. Information relating to any asylum claim is treated in confidence and is not disclosed to the authorities, unless the claimant has given his consent for the transfer of the data.

Asylum

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to determine the asylum application of Phindintombi Ndlovu, Ref No N1062839.

Phil Woolas: The UK Border Agency wrote to the hon. Member on 23 October 2008.

Asylum: Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration was given to arranging for independent interpreters to be present during all interviews that took place in March and April 2007 between Sudanese officials and Sudanese asylum seekers at her Department's facilities.

Phil Woolas: Since 22 March 2007 independent interpreters have been used at interviews between Sudanese officials and Sudanese asylum seekers.

Asylum: Sudan

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Sudanese asylum seekers were deported following re-documentation interviews in March and April 2007 were from Darfur.

Phil Woolas: Of the Sudanese nationals interviewed in March and April 2007, there have been two enforced returns of Darfuri asylum seekers and a further departure which was made voluntarily.

Asylum: Sudan

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps were taken in response to the complaint made by a Darfuri asylum seeker against a Sudanese official as part of the re-documentation interviews of March and April 2007.

Phil Woolas: Following receipt of a complaint made by an individual regarding the interview conducted by a Sudanese official, the UK Border Agency amended the interview process. Since 22 March 2007 independent interpreters have been present at each interview; the interpreters are required to sign a disclaimer to confirm that discussions at the interview are professional and relevant to the documentation process only.

Asylum: Work Permits

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what grounds may a work permit be refused to an asylum seeker who has been awaiting a decision upon an asylum application for more than a year.

Phil Woolas: An asylum applicant may apply for permission to take up employment if a decision has not been taken on the applicant's asylum application within one year of the date on which it was recorded. The application to take employment will only be considered if the delay in reaching a decision cannot be attributed to the applicant.

Border and Immigration Agency: Correspondence

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the parliamentary business unit of the Immigration and Nationality Department plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Edinburgh West's letter of 17 July 2008 on his constituent Rangarirai Mukora.

Phil Woolas: The letter of 17 July was not received in my office however a letter from the hon. Member for Edinburgh West dated 3 October 2008 addressed to the Regional Director in Glasgow regarding the same matter was replied to on 6 October 2008.

Borders: Personal Records

Anne Moffat: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she takes to track the identities of individuals  (a) entering and  (b) leaving the UK.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 27 October 2008
	The Government's electronic borders system—e-Borders—allows us to count all passengers and crew in and out of the UK. To date, the e-Borders system has screened over 70 million passengers travelling to and from the UK from approximately 100 carriers on over 150 routes. This has resulted in 30,000 alerts being issued and over 2,500 arrests.

British Nationality: Gurkhas

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Government's policy is on the grant of UK citizenship to Gurkhas who have served in the armed forces.

Phil Woolas: The requirements for naturalisation as a British citizen are as set out in section 6 of and schedule 1 of the British Nationality Act 1981. A person applying for naturalisation must have been lawfully present in the United Kingdom for a period of five years ending on the date of the application. Within that period he or she should not have been outside the United Kingdom for more than 450 days. For a person married to or the civil partner of a British citizen, the residential qualifying period is reduced to three years.
	There is discretion to overlook periods of absence from the UK during the five or three year qualifying period. The current policy is to overlook any such absence if it was due to the applicant's (or his or her spouse's or civil partner's) service in the United Kingdom forces. However this discretion is not exercised if, at the time of consideration, the applicant is still serving as a member of the Brigade of Gurkhas.
	The difference in treatment between Gurkhas and non-Gurkhas is due to the understanding between the Nepalese and United Kingdom Governments that those serving in the Brigade of Gurkhas should remain Nepalese citizens during their periods of service. Nepalese nationality law provides that any citizen of Nepal who acquires another nationality will automatically lose Nepalese citizenship. It would therefore not be right to bestow British citizenship on Gurkha soldiers since they would, as a result, automatically lose their existing Nepalese citizenship. For this reason, and in order to avoid jeopardising the special relationship that currently exists between the United Kingdom and Nepal, there are no plans to grant British citizenship automatically to serving Gurkha soldiers.
	If, however, Gurkhas transfer into other units of the British army on completion of five years service in the Brigade or they become settled in the UK after discharge from service they would then be able to apply for naturalisation as British citizens under section 6 of the British Nationality Act 1981 on the same terms as other non-British service personnel.

Departmental Data Protection

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any officials in  (a) her Department and  (b) its agencies were disciplined or dismissed for (i) breaches of data protection requirements and (ii) inappropriate use of personal or sensitive data in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Phil Woolas: The answer is provided in the following tables.
	 Home Office:
	
		
			  Data protection breaches 
			   Disciplined  Dismissed 
			 2005-06 0 0 
			 2006-07 0 0 
			 2007-08 0 0 
		
	
	
		
			  Inappropriate use of personal or sensitive data 
			   Disciplined  Dismissed 
			 2005-06 0 0 
			 2006-07 0 0 
			 2007-08 0 <5 
		
	
	 Identity and Passport Service
	
		
			  Data protection breaches 
			   Disciplined  Dismissed 
			 2005-06 <5 <5 
			 2006-07 6 5 
			 2007-08 8 7 
		
	
	
		
			  Inappropriate use of personal or sensitive data 
			   Disciplined  Dismissed 
			 2005-06 <5 <5 
			 2006-07 0 0 
			 2007-08 <5 <5 
		
	
	 UK Border Agency
	
		
			  Data protection breaches: 
			   Disciplined  Dismissed 
			 2005-06 <5 <5 
			 2006-07 0 <5 
			 2007-08 <5 <5 
		
	
	
		
			  Inappropriate use of personal or sensitive data: 
			   Disciplined  Dismissed 
			 2005-06 <5 <5 
			 2006-07 0 <5 
			 2007-08 0 <5 
		
	
	 Criminal Records Bureau
	Nil return.

Departmental Marketing

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on advertising in each of the last five years.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 16 October 2008
	Government policies and programmes affect the lives of millions of people and in order for them to work they must be communicated effectively. This is done with cost efficiency in mind and there are strict rules to ensure value for money on Government advertising.
	The following table shows how much the Home Office has spent on advertising campaigns over the last five years.
	
		
			  Home Office advertising 
			   Amount (£000) 
			 2003-04 12,062 
			 2004-05 11,314 
			 2005-06 9,348 
			 2006-07 13,658 
			 2007-08 8,144

Departmental Pensions

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civil servants working in her Department and its agencies have pensions with a cash equivalent transfer value of over £1 million.

Phil Woolas: It is not appropriate to disclose pension information for civil servants other than board members whose details are shown in the Remuneration Report in annual Resource Accounts. A copy of the Resource Accounts for financial year (2007-08) can be accessed electronically using the following link.
	Home Office Resource Accounts 2007-08 (pages 29 to 32 refer):
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/resource-accounts-07-08?view=Binary

Departmental Temporary Employment

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which companies were used by her Department for providing temporary staff in each of the last five years; and what the value of contracts with each such company was in each of those years.

Phil Woolas: The expenditure with each of the companies that the Home Department has used for the provision of temporary agency staff for the financial years 2006-07 and 2007-08 is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Suppler  Financial year  HO Headquarters(£)  IPS (£)  CRB (£) 
			 Adecco 2007-08 0 320,000 0 
			 Angela Mortimer 2007-08 0 101,000 0 
			 Brook Street 2007-08 1,810,000 63,000 0 
			 Employment Plus 2007-08 353,000 0 0 
			 Hays 2007-08 816,000 0 0 
			 Kelly Services 2007-08 52,000 55,000 6,812 
			 Manpower 2007-08 0 49,000 0 
			 Northern Recruitment 2007-08 377,000 0 0 
			 Office Angels 2007-08 1,459,000 0 0 
			 Reed 2007-08 759,000 0 31,221 
			 Step Ahead 2007-08 0 140,000 0 
			 Adecco 2006-07 0 508,000 0 
			 Angela Mortimer 2006-07 0 7,000 0 
			 Brook Street 2006-07 3,150,000 144,000 6,110 
			 Employment Plus 2006-07 1,092,000 0 0 
			 Hays 2006-07 323,000 0 5,584 
			 Kelly Services 2006-07 56,000 321,000 0 
			 Manpower 2006-07 0 128,000 0 
			 Northern Recruitment 2006-07 370,000 0 0 
			 Office Angels 2006-07 3,065,000 0 0 
			 Reed 2006-07 943,000 0 3,800 
			 Step Ahead 2006-07 0 54,000 0 
		
	
	Information for prior periods is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Drugs: Seizures

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many seizures of illicit drugs there were at  (a) Heathrow Airport,  (b) Gatwick Airport,  (c) Stansted Airport,  (d) the Port of Dover and  (e) the Port of Felixstowe in each of the last 10 years; and what the estimated street value of each such seizure was.

Phil Woolas: National seizure figures are published in the Annual reports for HM Revenue and Customs and HM Customs and Excise. Information below a national level is not disclosed.

Entry Clearances: Middle East

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) Palestinians and  (b) Israelis have been refused entry into the UK because of their links to violence, terrorism or other armed criminal acts in the last 12 months.

Phil Woolas: During the 12-month period 1 October 2007 to 30 September 2008, UK Border Agency records show that 10 Israelis were refused entry to the UK at ports, on the grounds that their exclusion was conducive to the public good. This category covers, but is not limited to, the offences listed in the present question. UKBA records show that no Palestinians were refused entry for this reason, during the same period.

Identity Cards: Foreigners

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals have  (a) been interviewed for the national identity card scheme and  (b) received a biometric residence permit.

Phil Woolas: Applications for identity cards can be accepted only on and after 25 November 2008.
	On 25 November 2008, foreign nationals, subject to immigration control, who are applying to extend their leave in the UK under certain student categories, as a spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner under the immigration rules will be issued with an identity card if leave is granted.

Illegal Immigrants: Police Custody

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those arrested were identified as illegal immigrants in each of the last five years; and how many of these were  (a) detained in police cells or immigration removal centres and  (b) not detained but referred to a Home Office Unit.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 17 January 2008
	 Data on numbers of individuals arrested was only available from April 2005. Arrests on suspicion of being illegal immigrants during this period were:
	
		
			   Arrests on suspicion of being illegal immigrants  Operational enforcement visits 
			 2005 (April to December) 9,209 8,364 
			 2006 11,870 13,991 
			 2007 10,757 15,099 
		
	
	In "Enforcing the Deal: Our plans for Enforcing the Immigration Laws in the United Kingdom's communities", published on 19 June 2008, we set out our enforcement priorities. Our attention is centred on taking action against organised criminals, facilitators and employers who break the law. We have focussed over 1,000 additional enforcement staff on enforcement duties whose duties include issuing civil penalties against employers, compliance visits and removal of those who present the greatest harm.
	Information on those detained in police cells, immigration removal centres or not detained but referred to a Home Office unit is not collated. Relevant information might be recorded on individual case files but could be obtained only by detailed examination of each record at disproportionate cost.
	The data provided is based on management information and is not a national statistic. It should be treated as provisional as it may be subject to change.

Immigration

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures are in place to deal with people who make false declarations of their country of residence on immigration cards at the UK border.

Phil Woolas: UK Border Agency landing cards collect data by nationality, but do not record the country of residence of arriving passengers.

Immigration: Climate Change

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment her Department has made of the likely effects of climate change on numbers of  (a) immigrants and  (b) asylum seekers entering the UK in the next 10 years.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 11 September 2008
	The Department has been working to identify potential areas of risk it may face as a result of climate change, which can be found here:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/adapt/programme/home-office.htm.
	The global impact of climate change could affect the levels and patterns of migration to and from the UK, but the links are complex and there is no consensus among the scientific community. This will be kept under review.

Immigration: Occupied Territories

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people whose home addresses are in illegal Israeli settlements entered the UK in the last 12 months.

Phil Woolas: As Israelis are non-visa nationals, the United Kingdom Border Agency does not routinely collect nor record their home addresses when they are seeking to enter the UK.

Plain English

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many documents produced by her Department were submitted to the Plain English Campaign for approval for Crystal Mark status in each year since 2005; and how many documents achieved such status in each year.

Phil Woolas: Although the Home Office is a corporate member of the Plain English Campaign no central records are maintained of the take-up of their services by individual parts of the organisation. The information requested cannot be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Plain English

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many documents produced by her Department were submitted to the Plain English Campaign for approval for Crystal Mark status in each year since 2005; and how many documents achieved such status in each year.

Phil Woolas: Although the Home Office is a corporate member of the Plain English Campaign no central records are maintained of the take-up of their services by individual parts of the organisation. The information requested cannot therefore be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Police Authorities: Bank Services

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the financial exposure of each police authority to the Icelandic banking crisis is, expressed in cash terms.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 17 October 2008
	 Based on information provided to us by the Association of Police Authorities, the details requested are set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Police authority investments in Icelandic banks 
			  Police authority  Investments (£ million) 
			 Avon and Somerset Police Authority 0.00 
			 Bedfordshire Police Authority 0.00 
			 British Transport Police Authority — 
			 Cambridgeshire Police Authority 0.00 
			 Cheshire Police Authority 0.00 
			 City of London Police Authority 0.00 
			 Cleveland Police Authority 0.00 
			 Cumbria Police Authority 0.00 
			 Derbyshire Police Authority 0.00 
			 Devon and Cornwall Police Authority 0.00 
			 Dorset Police Authority 7.00 
			 Durham Police Authority 0.00 
			 Dyfed-Powys Police Authority 2.00 
			 Essex Police Authority 0.00 
			 Gloucestershire Police Authority 0.00 
			 Greater Manchester Police Authority 0.00 
			 Gwent Police Authority 1.00 
			 Hampshire Police Authority 0.00 
			 Hertfordshire Police Authority 3.00 
			 Humberside Police Authority 5.75 
			 Kent Police Authority 11.10 
			 Lancashire Police Authority via LCC 0.67 
			 Leicestershire Police Authority 0.00 
			 Lincolnshire Police Authority 0.00 
			 Merseyside Police Authority 0.00 
			 Metropolitan Police Authority 30.00 
			 Norfolk Police Authority 0.00 
			 North Wales Police Authority 0.00 
			 North Yorkshire Police Authority 0.00 
			 Northamptonshire Police Authority 0.00 
			 Northern Ireland Policing Board — 
			 Northumbria Police Authority 3.50 
			 Nottinghamshire Police Authority 0.00 
			 South Wales Police Authority, 7.00 
			 South Yorkshire Police Authority 0.00 
			 Staffordshire Police Authority 0.00 
			 Suffolk Police Authority 0.00 
			 Surrey Police Authority 1.50 
			 Sussex Police Authority 6.80 
			 Thames Valley Police Authority 5.00 
			 Warwickshire Police Authority 0.00 
			 West Mercia Police Authority 0.00 
			 West Midlands Police Authority 5.40 
			 West Yorkshire Police Authority 6.00 
			 Wiltshire Police Authority 0.00 
			 Total 95.72 
			  Source: Association of Police Authorities

Police: Freedom of Information

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 were made to each police authority about an individual's profile since 2005; how many requests were  (a) agreed to and  (b) refused in each of those years; how many refusals were subject to appeal to the Information Commissioner in each of those years; how many appeals were successful; if she will place in the Library copies of the material subsequently provided in each case; how much was spent by each police authority opposing each appeal; which (i) consultants and (ii) law firms were employed by each police authority in connection with each appeal; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: This information is not held centrally.

Police: Lancashire

Greg Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in  (a) Hyndburn constituency and  (b) the Lancashire Constabulary area in (i) 1997 and (ii) the latest period for which figures are available.

Vernon Coaker: The information is as follows:
	 (a) Police personnel data are not available by parliamentary constituency, but are available for the basic command unit (BCU). Hyndburn falls within the Eastern BCU which had 598 officers on 31 March 2008. The earliest available BCU data is for March 2002 when Eastern BCU had 562 officers.
	 (b) The numbers of full-time equivalent officers in Lancashire as at 31 March 1997 were 3,248, and as at 31 March 2008 were 3,609.

Police: Pensions

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the annual change in the cost to the public purse of the 2006 changes to the national police pension scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The new police pension scheme, under which police officers can build up maximum benefits over 35 years instead of 30 years, was introduced in April 2006 and applies to all new entrants since that point. The savings for 2008-09 as a result of that change are estimated to be 0.8 per cent. of pensionable pay, and 6.9 per cent. in the long term. Based on the current pensionable pay bill these savings equate to around £45 million and £390 million a year respectively.

Population

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to set a limit for UK population size; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The Government are undertaking sweeping reform of the immigration system. This includes introduction of the points-based system to ensure
	only those the UK really needs come here to work. The points-based system is flexible and responsive to the needs of the economy and we will use these levers taking advice from the Migration Advisory Committee on where our economy needs migration and from the Migration Impacts Forum to tell us about the pace of change that is right. We will continue to examine population projections to inform our use of the flexibility inherent in the points-based system.

Travel Requirements: Fees and Charges

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what forecasts her Department has made of levels of fee income from  (a) British and  (b) foreign nationals for passport, visa and other immigration-related documents and services in (i) 2008, (ii) 2009, (iii) 2010, (iv) 2011 and (v) 2012.

Phil Woolas: The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) and UK Border Agency (UKBA) are the two Home Office service providers for passports, visas and other immigration document and services.
	IPS is currently forecasting that it will receive in the region of £377 million in passport related fees in the 2008-09 financial year.
	The budgeted figure for passport related fees for the 2009-10 financial year will be finalised early next year. Forecasts of passport related fees for the years after 2009-10 can only be made after the outcome of a full fees and charges strategy review is completed. An IPS fees and charges strategy review is needed as ID cards are being introduced for British citizens from 2009. IPS will need to reassess its future product prices as it will have to recover its costs over a different range of products. UKBA forecasts are independent of IPS fees and charges strategy as the visa and immigration documents business is separate from the passport and ID card business.
	The UKBA estimate of fee income for 2008-09 from visa applications is £300 million. The estimated fee income for 2008-09 from in-country applications is £350 million.
	UKBA is reviewing the position for 2009-10 for in and out-of country fees in the run-up to laying fees regulations early 2009. Estimates of fee income for the subsequent three years have yet to be made.

Travel Requirements: Fees and Charges

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department received in passport, visa and other immigration-related fees from  (a) British and  (b) foreign nationals in (i) the first six months and (ii) the second six months of each of the last five years.

Phil Woolas: The annual income received from British nationals for passports services in each of the last five financial years is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   First six months  Second six months  Total 
			 2007-08 214.7 161.0 375.7 
			 2006-07 183.0 162.6 345.6 
			 2005-06 145.2 132.5 277.7 
			 2004-05 135.9 106.2 242.1 
			 2003-04 98.6 98.9 197.5 
		
	
	The annual income received by the Home Office for immigration services in each of the last five financial years is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   First six months  Second six months  Total 
			 2007-08 136 164 300 
			 2006-07 99 114 213 
			 2005-06 86 118 204 
			 2004-05 49 66 115 
			 2003-04 33 40 73 
		
	
	The Home Office only assumed full responsibility for visa income from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) from 2008-09 onwards. Full year totals for visa income (excluding notional income for gratis visas) for the last five year—as provided by FCO—are as follows:
	
		
			   Income (£ million) 
			 2007-08 273.6 
			 2006-07 190.5 
			 2005-06 163.4 
			 2004-05 127.4 
			 2003-04 111.9

UK Border Agency: Marketing

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on commissioning a new  (a) logo and  (b) brand for the UK Border Agency.

Phil Woolas: The development of the new UK Border Agency logo incurred a cost of £12,000 in design fees. A further £17,000 was spent on producing a set of templates and guidelines to cover all applications of the logo. A further £1,200 was spent on printing a summary guidelines booklet to distribute to senior managers within the UK Border Agency.

UK Border Agency: Procurement

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of invoices  (a) the UK Border Agency and its predecessor organisations and  (b) the Identity and Passport Service paid (i) within 10 days, (ii) within 30 days and (iii) more than 30 days from the date of receipt, broken down by invoice size.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 27 October 2008
	The overall position for UK Border Agency and Identity and Passport Service is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Percentage of invoices paid in time scale 
			   (a) UK Border Agency( 1)  (b) Identity and Passport Service( 2) 
			 (i) Within 10 days 14.49 35 
			 (ii) Within 30 days 66.98 63 
			 (iii) Over 30 days 18.57 2 
			 (1) Total invoices paid on Adelphi from 1 February 2008 until  30 September 2008 for UKBA cost centres. (2) IPS processed invoices 2007-08 year. 
		
	
	Identity and Passport Service is unable to provide detail broken down by invoice size, UK Border Agency figures on this basis are given in the following table.
	
		
			  (a) UK Border Agency 
			  Percentage 
			  Invoice size  (i) Within 10 days  (ii) Within 30 days  (iii) Over 30 days 
			 0-10,000 range 13.19 68.01 18.80 
			 10,000-20,000 range 16.00 64.50 19.51 
			 20,000-50,000 range 18.80 61.68 19.53 
			 50,000-100,000 range 32.15 53.66 14.18 
			 100,000+ range 41.61 48.68 9.71 
			 All 14.49 66.93 18.57 
			  Note: Of the UK Border Agency invoices paid over 30 days: 25 per cent. of the volume of invoices paid over 30 days relates to seven suppliers. 50 per cent. of the value of invoices paid over 30 days relates to nine invoices, paid to six suppliers.

TRANSPORT

Aviation: Passports

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport under what provisions passengers using domestic flights are required to show a passport.

Jim Fitzpatrick: It is not a security requirement for passengers to provide a passport at check-in for domestic flights. Some airlines require under their own conditions of travel the presentation of a passport or other form of photographic ID to prevent ticket fraud.

Aviation: Royal Family

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Canterbury of 3 July 2008,  Official Report, column 1020W, on aviation: the Royal Family, if he will instigate an internal inquiry to establish for what reason the sum in question was spent on a cancelled project; and what steps he plans to take to prevent a similar occurrence.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Royal and Ministerial Air Travel project was a feasibility study and correct procedures were followed in accordance with procurement best practice. The project was not cancelled and its outcome was delivered to Parliament on 26 March 2008. We see no need for an internal inquiry.
	Information about the project can be found on the Department's website at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/aviation/royalminairtravelproject

Bridges: Repairs and Maintenance

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how much his Department and its agencies have spent on bridge maintenance since 2000;
	(2)  how much his Department and its agencies have spent on local road maintenance since 2000.

Paul Clark: The Highways Agency is responsible for the management of the strategic road network, including bridge maintenance. It has spent the following amounts on bridge renewals:
	
		
			  £ million 
			 2004-05 157 
			 2005-06 152 
			 2006-07 149 
			 2007-08 170 
		
	
	This relates to renewals of bridges, tunnels, underpasses and other structures. It does not include costs associated with its private finance initiative contracts or routine maintenance of structures.
	The amounts shown are for the financial years from 2004-05, prior to this the information is not readily available to this level of detail.
	The management of the local road network, including bridge maintenance, in England, is the responsibility of local highway authorities.
	Maintenance of bridges owned by other bodies, such as Network Rail, is a matter for the respective bridge owner.

Bus Lanes

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of new bus lanes were created in each of the last 11 years, broken down by region.

Paul Clark: In the period of the first round of Local Transport Plans, from 2001-02 to 2005-06, local transport authorities invested £30.3 million on 387 busways and bus lanes, covering 220.57 miles. The following table shows the regional breakdown for new busways and bus lanes during this period.
	
		
			  Region  Number of new busways/bus lanes  Miles 
			 East 23 12.81 
			 East Midlands 22 8.70 
			 North East 56 22.73 
			 North West 100 111.22 
			 South East 100 34.73 
			 South West 46 19.54 
			 West Midlands 60 20.50 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 47 29.89 
		
	
	This information is not readily available prior to 2001-02, and to reduce the reporting burdens on local authorities, has not been collected since 2005-06.

Bus Services: Homelessness

Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on the provision of bus passes for people aged over 60 years with no fixed abode; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: Local authorities are responsible for assessing eligibility for concessionary bus travel. They are required to issue passes to elderly and eligible disabled people whose "sole or principle residence" is within their area. Provided there is suitable evidence, we believe that it is possible for people of no fixed abode to fulfil this criterion.

Carbon Emissions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average level of carbon dioxide emissions in grammes-per-kilometre was for  (a) new and  (b) all cars in (i) the UK and (ii) each other EU member state in each year since 1997.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Table 1 shows data on average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of new cars sold in the UK from 1997 to 2007.
	
		
			  Table 1: UK average new car C O 2  emissions (grammes of C O 2  per kilometre) 
			   New car C O 2  emissions (g/km) 
			 1997 189.8 
			 1998 188.4 
			 1999 185.0 
			 2000 181.0 
			 2001 178.0 
			 2002 174.8 
			 2003 172.7 
			 2004 171.4 
			 2005 169.7 
			 2006 167.7 
			 2007 164.7 
		
	
	Data on average new car carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from 1997 to 2000 comes from estimates by The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). From 2001, figures are based on new car emissions data collected by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and supplied to the European Commission for the purposes of monitoring progress towards the EU voluntary commitments on new car CO2 targets.
	Data on average new car carbon dioxide emissions from 2000 to 2006 in most EU member states is available on the European Commission website at the following link:
	http://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/transport/co2/co2_monitoring.htm.
	This data is reproduced in table 2 as follows:
	
		
			  Table 2: Average new car C O 2  emissions (in gra m mes of C O 2  per kilometre) 2000 - 06 
			  EU member states  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Austria 168.0 165.6 164.4 163.8 161.9 162.1 163.7 
			 Belgium 166.5 163.7 161.1 158.1 156.5 155.2 153.9 
			 Cyprus — — — — 173.4 173.0 170.0 
			 Czech Republic — — — — 154.0 155.3 154.2 
			 Denmark 175.7 172.9 170.0 169.0 165.9 163.7 162.5 
			 Estonia — — — — 179.0 183.7 182.7 
			 Finland 181.1 178.1 177.2 178.3 179.8 179.5 179.2 
			 France 163.6 159.8 156.8 155.0 153.1 152.3 149.9 
			 Germany 182.2 179.5 177.4 175.9 174.9 173.4 172.5 
			 Greece 180.3 166.5 167.8 168.9 168.8 167.4 166.5 
			 Hungary — — — — 158.5 156.3 154.6 
			 Ireland 161.3 166.6 164.3 166.7 167.6 166.8 166.3 
			 Italy 155.1 158.3 156.6 152.9 150.0 149.5 149.2 
			 Latvia — — — — 192.4 187.2 183.1 
			 Lithuania — — — — 187.5 186.3 163.4 
			 Luxembourg 176.7 177.0 173.8 173.5 169.7 168.6 168.2 
			 Malta — — — — 148.8 150.5 145.9 
			 Netherlands 174.2 174.0 172.4 173.5 171.0 169.9 166.7 
			 Poland — — — — 154.1 155.2 155.9 
			 Portugal 169.2 — 154.0 149.9 147.1 144.9 145.0 
			 Slovakia — — — — — 157.4 152.0 
			 Slovenia — — — — 152.7 157.2 155.3 
			 Spain 159.2 156.8 156.4 157.0 155.3 155.3 155.6 
			 Sweden 200.1 200.2 198.2 198.6 197.2 193.8 188.6 
			 UK 185.4 178.0 174.8 172.7 171.4 169.7 167.7 
			 EU average 172.2 169.7 167.2 165.5 163.4 162.4 161.3  
			 EU average (corrected)(1) 171.0 168.5 166.0 164.3 162.2 161.2 160.2 
			 (1 )For the purposes of monitoring progress towards the EU voluntary commitments on new car C02 emissions, a correction factor of -0.7 per cent. is applied to reported figures to align them with the original basis for the voluntary commitment.  Note: The EU-10 member states started with data submission in monitoring year 2004. Data for Romania and Bulgaria is not available. 
		
	
	There is no data available on average CO2 emissions of all cars in the UK since data on CO2 emissions of new vehicles was not routinely collected before 1997. Therefore, in order to estimate the average CO2 emissions of all cars, we would need to make assumptions about the CO2 emissions of cars sold before 1997 and how many of these vehicles are still on the road.
	Our estimates suggest that average CO2 emissions from all cars, in the UK have fallen from around 190g/km in 2000 to around 180g/km in 2006.
	For similar reasons to those aforementioned, no data are available on average CO2 emissions of all cars in other EU member states.

Departmental ICT

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on upgrading its IT in each of the last three financial years.

Geoff Hoon: The total spend for the Department for Transport and its agencies on upgrading its IT in each of the last three years is as follows:
	
		
			   £000 
			 2005-06 28,351 
			 2006-07 29,718 
			 2007-08 43,861 
		
	
	VOSA is unable to identify separately the IT upgrade costs from the monthly charge that they make to Atos Origin, which manages its IT service.
	Due to limitations in GCDA's the Government Car and Despatch Agency accountancy system, it cannot provide the complete breakdown within their costs. The costs do however include hardware and software upgrading costs.
	The Driving Standards Agency DSA changed its accounting system in April 2007 and this has resulted in changes to the coding system. This may lead to inconsistencies between the information reported for 2007-08 compared to previous years, however the costs of confirming this is disproportionate.

Departmental ICT

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what IT projects  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its agencies is undertaking; and what the most recent estimate of (i) the cost and (ii) the completion date of each is.

Geoff Hoon: The following tables show IT projects taking place within the Department and its agencies.
	DFT Central is undertaking the following IT projects:
	
		
			  Project  Most recent estimate of cost (£)  Most recent estimate of completion date 
			 Shared Services Programme 128,300,000 2012 
			 ETHOS office system upgrade 2,700,000 November 2008 
			 TRANSEC Website project 261,000 May 2009 
			 National database for SCANNER (Surface Condition Assessment for the National Network of Roads) data 150,000 September 2009 
			 Passenger Counts Database 2-3,000,000 June 2010 
			 CRASH (Collision Reporting and Sharing) (1)— 2010 
			 National Travel Survey database redevelopment (2)— 2010 
			 (1) Out to tender (2) Not yet tendered 
		
	
	The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is undertaking the following IT projects:
	
		
			  Project  Most recent estimate of cost (£)  Most recent estimate of completion date 
			 Driver Licence Upgrade Project 15,224,000 November 2008 
			 Drivers Reengineering Project 107,670,000 March 2009 
			 Ten Year Renewal 2 16,397,000 March 2010 
		
	
	Vehicle Operating Standards Agency (VOSA) is undertaking the following IT projects:
	
		
			  Project  Most recent estimate of cost (£)  Most recent estimate of completion date 
			 Automatic Number Plate Recognition and Weigh In Motion Sensors 5,800,000 March 2009 
			 MOT Enforcement Transformation 3,600,000 March 2009 
			 Transport Office Portal 14,700,000 March 2009 
			 3D Secure and PCI DSS 1,300,000 March 2009 
			 Electronic Test Bookings 16,500,000 March 2009 
			 Customer Information Services Project 1,100,000 March 2009 
		
	
	The Highways Agency (HA) is undertaking the following IT projects:
	
		
			  Project  Most recent estimate of cost (£)  Most recent estimate of completion date (financial year) 
			 Integrated Asset Management System Programme 39,850,000 2017-18 
			 Business Intelligence Service Delivery 1,900,301 2008-09 
			 Major Projects Business Intelligence Enabling Project 1,077,000 2009-10 
			 Network Performance—BI Project 2,008,509 2009-10 
			 Oracle Enhancement Project 1,230,000 2008-09 
			 Sharing HA Records Electronically 4,978,000 2009-10 
			 HA Pavement Management System 9,945,443 2010-11 
			 HA Traffic Information System 4,669,460 2008-09 
			 Traffic Information 2011+ 4,000,000 2011-12 
			 Better Traffic Data—Incremental Improvements 550,000 2009-10 
			 Computer Aided Facilities Management System upgrade 15,000 2008-09 
			 Environmental Information System 1,894,433 2009-10 
			 Evaluate the purchase of AM broadcast licences for Traffic Radio 15,000 2008-09 
			 FOI/EIR web disclosure log 15,000 2008-09 
			 HA Data and Information services Policy Project 14,000 2008-09 
			 Highways Agency Information Points 1,031,000 2010-11 
			 Laptop Encryption 90,000 2008-09 
			 SHARE Legacy File Management 88,000 2009-10 
			 Structures Management Information System 85,400 2009-10 
			 TAME (Traffic Appraisal, Modelling and Economics) Traffic Counter Granularity and Telemetry Upgrade 1,650,000 2009-10 
			 Way We Work—RedDot—SHARE Integration Project 82,000 2009-10 
			 Video Information Highway Policy Implementation 115,000 2009-10 
		
	
	The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) is undertaking the following IT projects:
	
		
			  Project  Most recent estimate of cost (£)  Most recent estimate of completion date 
			 Driver Certificate of Professional Competence project (includes IT elements) £36,000,000 September 2009 
			 New Practical Test Booking System—DTCS-T £3,500,000 December 2008 
			 Enterprise Scanning Solution £900,000 November 2008 
			 Intranet Project 800,000-1,000,000 March 2009 
			 ISO9001 (includes IT elements) 300,000 October 2008 
			 Central Servers Refresh 266,000 March 2009 
			 Central Backup (Servers) 100,000 December 2008 
			 Area Office IT Refresh 817,000 March 2009 
			 IT Enhancements to Driving Test Centres 863,500 December 2008 
			 Laptop Remote Access 214,400 December 2008 
		
	
	The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is undertaking the following IT projects:
	
		
			  Project  Most recent estimate of cost (£)  Most recent estimate of completion date (quarter, year) 
			 Consolidated European Reporting System/Single Vessel Database 5,000,000 Q1 2010 
			 Radio Equipment Replacement Project 5,000,000 Q3 2010 
			 Automatic Identification System Service Provision Project 500,000 Q1 2009 
		
	
	The Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) is undertaking the following IT project:
	
		
			  Project  Most recent estimate of cost (£)  Most recent estimate of completion date 
			 Booking and Despatch—to implement a new operational system to support the Agency's Government Mail and Government Cars businesses 255,000 December 2008 
		
	
	The Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) is not undertaking any IT projects.
	The Department for Transport does not hold centrally collected records on IT projects, which are managed locally. The aforementioned tables therefore show available information on major projects under way within DFT Central and each of its agencies.

Departmental Marketing

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the cost effectiveness of Government-commissioned advertising in the last 12 months relating to matters falling within the remit of his Department.

Geoff Hoon: The Department regularly assesses the cost effectiveness of our advertising through analysis by independent media auditors, quantitative research and progress against real world indicators, such as, in the case of our THINK! road safety campaign, the number of people killed or seriously injured.

Departmental Pensions

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many and what proportion of civil servants in his Department and its agencies are members of the  (a) Classic,  (b) Classic Plus,  (c) Nuvos and  (d) Premium civil service pension schemes.

Geoff Hoon: The number and proportion of Department for Transport civil servants in each of the civil service pension schemes is as follows:
	
		
			   Classic  Classic Plus  Nuvos  Premium  Total 
			 Number of employees 9,677 460 1,142 6,684 1,7963 
			 Proportion of employees 53.9 2.6 36.7 6.4 99.6 
		
	
	The remaining 0.4 per cent. of civil servants have either opted for the partnership scheme (which is a money purchase scheme), or have opted out of a pension provision.

Departmental Pensions

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many civil servants working in his Department and its agencies have pensions with a cash equivalent transfer value of over £1 million.

Geoff Hoon: It is not appropriate to disclose pension information for civil servants other than Board Members whose details are shown in the Remuneration Report in annual Resource Accounts. A copy of the Department for Transport Resource Accounts for financial year 2007-8 can be found in the Library or accessed electronically using the following link
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/about/publications/ei/secresaccs/resourceaccounts0708.pdf

Departmental Postal Services

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the Answer of 1 September 2008,  Official Report, columns 1408-9W, on departmental postal services, how much  (a) his Department,  (b) the Highways Agency,  (c) the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and  (d) the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency spent on its mail services in the last year.

Geoff Hoon: The requested information is provided as follows.
	
		
			   Spend on mail services (£) 
			  (a) Central Department (1)145,059.60 
			  (b) Highways Agency 128,427.75 
			  (c) Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (2)22,900,000.00 
			  (d) Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (3)— 
			 (1) Comprising London HQ, Air Accidents Investigation Branch, Marine Accident Investigation Branch and Rail Accident Investigation Branch. (2) Relates to financial year 2007-08. The £22.9 million postal related expenses include £0.7 million in relation to contract carrier and cash carrying services. (3) The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) do not record this information.

Departmental Staff

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 16 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1372W, on departmental staff, how many individuals in the rail network strategy division are examining options for supporting further growth in the longer term.

Paul Clark: Five members of staff within the rail network strategy division are directly engaged in work relating to options for supporting longer-term growth. The work is part of the Department for Transport's multi-modal approach to strategy development, supported by its wider technical and professional resources.

Departmental Training

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what personal training courses at public expense he has undertaken since his appointment.

Geoff Hoon: I have not undertaken any personal training courses at public expense since my appointment.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Consultants

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency spent on external information technology consultants in each of the last five financial years; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Prior to the implementation of the new financial accounting system (SAP) in 2007, as part of the new Shared Services Arrangements, DVLA did not separately identify the different types of consultancy expenditure incurred. To interrogate the data for 2003-2007 would incur disproportionate costs so the following table details all contracts awarded to external information technology consultants and the value of those contracts, between 2004-05 and 2007-08.
	
		
			   £000 
			 2004-05 138 
			 2005-06 508 
			 2006-07 1,262 
			 2007-08 97 
		
	
	A large proportion of the spend allocated to 2006-07 was for a single project which actually spans several financial years.

Driving: Licensing

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people hold a UK driving licence.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The estimated number of people in Great Britain with a full driving licence in 2007 was 33.8 million.

East Coast Main Line

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on the production of Network Rail's capacity analysis of the East Coast Main Line; and when it will be completed.

Paul Clark: Network Rail's East Coast Main Line capacity assessment report was published on 26 September 2008, and is publicly available on the website operated by the Office of Rail Regulation:
	http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/ecml_NR_caprep.pdf

Fuels: Renewable Energy

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 15 October 2008,  Official Report, column 46WS, on the Post-Gallagher update, what assessment he has made of the effect of slowing down the rate of increase of the renewable transport fuel obligation on  (a) global food prices,  (b) food insecurity in developing countries,  (c) biodiversity loss and  (d) greenhouse gas emissions arising from indirect land use change.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Professor Gallagher's review into the indirect effects of biofuel production acknowledged that there are uncertainties about the environmental, social and economic effects. However, he also concluded that there is a risk that the uncontrolled expansion and use of biofuels could lead to unsustainable changes in land use, such as the destruction of rainforest to make way for the production of crops. That might, in turn, increase greenhouse gas emissions, as well as contributing to higher food prices and shortages.
	Professor Gallagher recommended that the Government amend but not abandon their biofuels policy. The Government agree with this recommendation and are currently consulting on a proposal to slow down the rate of increase of the RTFO.
	The Renewable Fuels Agency is also required to include an assessment of the wider effects of biofuel production in its annual report to Parliament. This will enable the Government to continue to gather evidence on the impacts of biofuel use to help ensure that targets are set at appropriate levels.

Fuels: Rural Areas

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will discuss with ministerial colleagues at HM Treasury a fuel tax derogation for rural areas.

Paul Clark: Decisions on fuel duty, as with all decisions on taxation, are matters for HM Treasury. Treasury Ministers routinely consult with ministerial colleagues on all relevant matters as part of the pre-Budget report and Budget processes.

Heathrow Airport

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on whether a third runway should be built at Heathrow Airport.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I refer the right hon. and learned Member to the written statement made by the former Secretary of State for Transport on 8 July 2008,  Official Report, columns 74-76WS.

Lorries: Fuels

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider requiring foreign hauliers entering the UK to have the same level of fuel when leaving the UK as when entering.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Consideration was given to fuel restrictions as part of Haulage Industry Task Group discussions. It is likely that any restriction would contravene European single market rules.

Lorries: Working Hours

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider bringing forward proposals to limit the number of hours per week that foreign hauliers may spend on UK roads.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The current EU drivers' hours rules, which apply to drivers of large goods vehicles from all EU member states, restrict daily, weekly and fortnightly driving time, and require the taking of mandatory breaks and rests periods.
	In addition in June, at the EU Transport Council, political agreement was reached on a Commission Proposal which would limit the number of cabotage operations performed by EU hauliers to three in seven days if preceded by a loaded international journey.

Motorways: Repairs and Maintenance

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of new  (a) motorway and  (b) motorway widening were completed in each of the last 10 years.

Paul Clark: The following table shows  (a) the number of miles of new motorway and  (b) the number of miles of motorway widened in each year since 1998.
	
		
			   (a) New motorway  (b) Motorway widened 
			 1998 0.0 22.7 
			 1999 9.3 18.5 
			 2000 0.0 9.3 
			 2001 0.0 0.0 
			 2002 0.0 0.0 
			 2003 0.0 6.6 
			 2004 0.0 0.0 
			 2005 0.0 13.4 
			 2006 10.6 19.4 
			 2007 0.0 1.2 
			 Total 19.9 91.2

Parking: Disabled

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will encourage local authorities to allow blue badge holders to park free of charge in  (a) residents' parking bays and  (b) parking bays; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: The Local Authorities' Traffic Orders (Exemptions for Disabled Persons) (England) Regulations 2000 already require local authorities to exempt holders of a disabled person's badge from any charges that apply to other classes of traffic for the use of on-street parking spaces.

Public Transport: Visually Impaired

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the number of visually impaired people injured whilst using public transport in the last 10 years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The information requested is not available.

Public Transport: Visually Impaired

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) blind and  (b) partially sighted people had a free bus pass (i) in each year since 1997 and (ii) at the latest date for which information is available.

Paul Clark: Local authorities are responsible for issuing concessionary bus passes and the Department for Transport does not hold detailed information about the breakdown of different types of pass holder.
	From 1 April 2008 local authorities outside London have been required to issue all concessionary bus passes as ITSO smartcards. To date around 7.2 million have been issued. Approximately 900,000 London Freedom Passes have been re-stickered for national use. From 2010 London will be required to issue their passes as ITSO smartcards.

Rail Network: Overcrowding

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he plans to take to reduce overcrowding on the rail network; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: The Government's plans to increase capacity are set out in the rail White Paper "Delivering a Sustainable Railway" published on 24 July 2007 and available on the Department for Transport's website
	www.dft.gov.uk/about/strategy/whitepapers/whitepapercm7176/.
	On top of the record sums already committed until 2009, the Government will invest a further £10 billion in delivering enhancements alone over the following five years. The Government plans the introduction of 1,300 new and additional rail vehicles onto the rail network in the period up to 2014. 423 new vehicles have already been ordered.

Rail Network: Overcrowding

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he plans to take to reduce overcrowding on the rail network; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: The Government's plan to increase capacity are set out in the rail White Paper "Delivering a sustainable railway" published on 24 July 2007 and available on the Department for Transport's website:
	www.dft.gov.uk/about/strategy/whitepapers/whitepapercm7176/
	On top of the record sums, already committed until 2009, the Government will invest a further £10 billion in delivering enhancements alone over the following five years. The Government plan the introduction of 1,300 new and additional rail vehicles onto the rail network in the period up to 2014. 423 new vehicles have already been ordered.

Railway Network: Electrification

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department plans to extend the electrification of the rail network west of London.

Paul Clark: The Department for Transport has been working closely with the rail industry to examine the case for extending the electrified network.

Railways: Concessions

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce a national discount railcard linked to the proposed standardisation of rail ticket tariffs; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: There are a number of discount schemes already offered on rail: the Young Person's, Senior, Family and Disabled railcards and in the South East, the Network Card. There are also group travel discounts available for some journeys. There are no plans to examine further schemes at this stage.

River Mersey: Bridges

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the combined number of vehicle journeys per year likely to be made across the new Mersey Gateway Bridge and the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge if  (a) a toll of £1.40 is payable and  (b) no toll is payable; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effect that a toll of £1.40 on the new Mersey Gateway Bridge and the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge will have on traffic congestion in Warrington town centre;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the effects on the local economy of a toll on the new Mersey Gateway Bridge and the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge.

Paul Clark: Given the cost of the Mersey Gateway bridge in relation to the North West's regional funding allocation, it is not realistic to expect that it could be funded without income from tolls.
	For assessment purposes, traffic modelling was based on annual average weekday traffic (AAWT) which is fully compliant with recommended appraisal procedures. Hence, forecasts of annual journeys (including weekends) are not available. The proposed traffic volumes on the combined crossings of Silver Jubilee bridge and the new Mersey Gateway bridge were estimated as follows:
	
		
			   Annual average weekday traffic 
			   £1.40 toll (2008 prices)  No toll 
			 Opening year 74,000 128,000 
			 Opening year + 15 95,000 146,000 
		
	
	The Department has not made an assessment of the effect that tolls placed on the new Mersey Gateway bridge and Silver Jubilee bridge will have on traffic congestion in Warrington town centre. Halton borough council forecast the traffic diversion to be around 1 per cent. at peak times and 4 per cent. in daily traffic terms.
	The Mersey Gateway bridge is being promoted by Halton primarily to relieve the existing Silver Jubilee bridge (SJB) which experiences high levels of congestion. The scheme has strong backing from the Merseyside sub-region, as it is seen as a catalyst for unlocking significant development opportunities at key development sites including improved access to Liverpool John Lennon airport. In the region's view, failure to provide the additional capacity will impede the regeneration of the area and the development of key sites served by the bridge and surrounding network including Widnes waterfront, Ditton Freight terminal and Daresbury science and business park.
	Since Halton have applied to my Department for orders under the Transport and Works Act and the Highways Act to authorise the construction of the new bridge and related matters, I cannot express a view on the merits of the scheme in order not to prejudice the Secretary of State's eventual decisions. A public inquiry is to be held next year, although a date has yet to be fixed.

Roads

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent from the public purse per head on roads in  (a) rural and  (b) urban areas in 2007-08.

Paul Clark: The expenditure on roads in England in 2006-07 amounted to approximately £7 billion, including new build, maintenance and road lighting. This is equivalent to about £137 per head of population.
	Data are not available for 2007-08. Rural and urban breakdowns of the data are not available.

Roads: Accidents

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many drivers under the age of 25 years were involved in road collisions in each region of England and Wales in  (a) each of the last 10 years and  (b) 2008 to date;
	(2)  how many road collisions involved drivers under the age of 25 in each region of England and Wales in  (a) each of the last 10 years and  (b) 2008 to date;
	(3)  how many people were  (a) killed,  (b) seriously injured and  (c) injured as a result of traffic collisions involving drivers under the age of 25 years in each region of England and Wales in (i) each of the last 10 years and (ii) 2008 to date.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The numbers of drivers or riders under the age of 25 years old involved in reported personal injury road accidents in each Government Office region in England and Wales in 1998 to 2007 are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of drivers/riders under 25 years old 
			  Government Office region  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 North East 3,355 2,897 2,924 2,778 2,858 3,033 2,968 2,901 2,884 2,750 
			 North West 12,525 11,769 11,392 10,927 10,652 10,422 10,574 10,190 9,237 8,622 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 8,444 8,033 7,794 7,572 7,820 7,545 7,063 6,690 6,681 6,587 
			 East Midlands 6,642 6,187 6,166 5,981 6,011 6,057 5,865 6,032 5,652 5,707 
			 West Midlands 8,394 8,804 8,061 7,658 7,619 7,360 7,178 7,394 7,129 7,190 
			 East of England 9,557 8,784 8,891 8,695 8,416 8,511 8,643 8,402 7,904 7,810 
			 South East 13,454 12,879 12,093 11,848 11,803 11,570 11,745 11,393 11,602 11,187 
			 London 11,185 10,833 10,377 9,913 9,299 8,467 7,599 6,816 6,044 5,745 
			 South West 7,496 7,442 7,223 7,524 7,646 7,373 7,602 7,887 7,417 7,127 
			
			 England 81,052 77,628 74,921 72,896 72,124 70,338 69,237 67,705 64,550 62,725 
			
			 Wales 4,112 3,967 3,664 3,745 3,970 4,007 4,189 3,919 3,896 3,795 
			
			 England and Wales 85,164 81,595 78,585 76,641 76,094 74,345 73,426 71,624 68,446 66,520 
		
	
	The numbers of reported personal injury road accidents involving at least one driver or rider under the age of 25 years old in each Government Office region in England and Wales in 1998 to 2007 are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of accidents 
			  Government Office Region  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 North East 3,038 2,620 2,660 2,552 2,633 2,741 2,704 2,631 2,607 2,481 
			 North West 11,194 10,556 10,349 9,906 9,666 9,413 9,447 9,134 8,316 7,719 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 7,619 7,270 7,093 6,879 7,105 6,828 6,441 6,054 6,040 5,974 
			 East Midlands 6,060 5,621 5,618 5,465 5,477 5,507 5,329 5,461 5,164 5,176 
			 West Midlands 7,565 7,839 7,341 7,008 6,952 6,710 6,534 6,678 6,458 6,487 
			 East of England 8,578 7,959 8,057 7,850 7,668 7,684 7,789 7,583 7,111 6,972 
			 South East 12,144 11,610 11,039 10,788 10,673 10,476 10,649 10,315 10,462 10,106 
			 London 10,371 10,053 9,656 9,231 8,647 7,859 7,079 6,337 5,623 5,338 
			 South West 6,766 6,753 6,543 6,822 6,902 6,650 6,851 7,066 6,622 6,351 
			
			 England 73,335 70,281 68,356 66,501 65,723 63,868 62,823 61,259 58,403 56,604 
			
			 Wales 3,716 3,590 3,309 3,385 3,566 3,599 3,769 3,507 3,422 3,356 
			
			 England and Wales 77,051 73,871 71,665 69,886 69,289 67,467 66,592 64,766 61,825 59,960 
		
	
	The numbers of people  (a) killed,  (b) seriously injured and  (c) slightly injured resulting from reported personal injury road accidents involving at least one driver or rider under the age of 25 years old in each Government Office region in England and Wales in 1998 to 2007 are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of casualties 
			  Government Office Region  Severity  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 North East Killed 36 30 25 34 40 50 59 51 45 31 
			  Serious 409 339 373 354 343 365 349 335 429 346 
			  Slight 4,076 3,493 3,537 3,436 3,497 3,614 3,606 3,492 3,423 3,373 
			 
			 North West Killed 114 119 135 120 122 131 131 137 131 92 
			  Serious 1,509 1,381 1,352 1,326 1,371 1,352 1,420 1,433 1,286 1,172 
			  Slight 15,363 14,638 14,214 13,491 13,169 12,519 12,583 12,330 11,393 10,426 
			 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Killed 94 89 94 118 131 128 111 125 118 102 
			  Serious 1,262 1,182 1,081 1,214 1,286 1,190 1,178 1,098 1,119 1,088 
			  Slight 10,183 9,555 9,447 9,151 9,418 9,000 8,491 8,032 8,234 8,072 
			 
			 East Midlands Killed 128 116 97 90 110 120 114 98 117 109 
			  Serious 1,227 1,122 1,055 1,027 1,102 1,047 1,009 972 848 877 
			  Slight 7,680 7,123 7,121 6,901 6,972 6,964 6,698 6,890. 6,585 6,499 
			 
			 West Midlands Killed 103 98 99 107 85 102 106 84 115 106 
			  Serious 1,481 1,239 1,189 1,101 1,062 951 941 926 867 861 
			  Slight 9,313 9,881 9,440 9,003 8,862 8,491 8,239 8,704 8,379 8,481 
			 
			 East of England Killed 122 123 138 137 136 130 128 118 128 121 
			  Serious 1,708 1,545 1,531 1,489 1,357 1,439 1,349 1,306 1,150 1,159 
			  Slight 10,590 9;795 10,078 9,850 9,638 9,572 9,714 9,519 9,005 8,645 
			 
			 South East Killed 168 170 176 149 154 156 161 181 153 160 
			  Serious 1,932 1,937 1,906 1,801 1,808 1,610 1,623 1,445 1,514 1,563 
			  Slight 15,211 14,555 13,568 13,644 13,240 12,819 13,017 12,876 13,267 12,619 
			 
			 London Killed 61 78 81 80 77 73 64 58 63 61 
			  Serious 1,870 1,539 1,532 1,531 1,354 1,288 988 857 905 833 
			  Slight 11,219 11,113 10,924 10,401 9,851 8,802 7,974 7,118 6,368 6,253 
			 
			 South West Killed 101 91 88 103 114 85 113 115 113 100 
			  Serious 994 985 1,028 909 1,055 1,018 900 905 880- 882 
			  Slight 8,400 8,306 8,085 8,620 8,440 8,130 8,431 8,839 8,311 7,877 
			 
			 England Killed 927 914 933 938 969 975 987 967 983 882 
			  Serious 12,392 11,269 11,047 10,752 10,738 10,260 9,757 9,277 8,998 8,781 
			  Slight 92,035 88,459 86,414 84,497 83,087 79,911 78,753 77,800 74,965 72,245 
			 
			 Wales Killed 66 64 53 75 56 58 88 76 63 58 
			  Serious 539 634. 555 523 576 576 515 486 490 531 
			  Slight 5,034 4,668 4,565 4,581 4,896 4,909 5,141 4,937 4,854 4,745 
			 
			 England and Wales Killed 993 978 986 1,013 1,025 1,033 1,075 1,043 1,046 940 
			  Serious 12,931 11,903 11,602 11,275 11,314 10,836 10,272 9,763 9,488 9,312 
			  Slight 97,069 93,127 90,979 89,078 87,983 84,820 83,894 82,737 79,819 76,990 
		
	
	2008 data will be published in June 2009.

Roads: Southend

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with Southend-on-Sea borough council on the proposed highway improvement at Priory Crescent and the A127 junction;
	(2)  what plans he has to meet  (a) hon. and right hon. Members,  (b) Southend Borough Council members and  (c) Southend Borough Council officers in relation to the proposed highway improvement at Priory Crescent and the A127 junction.

Paul Clark: At present the Department for Transport's regional and local major schemes team are working closely with officers of Southend-on-Sea borough council, the scheme promoters, to prepare a revised major scheme business case which is due to be submitted shortly in order to reduce overspend on the original scheme. Following submission of this case meetings with appropriate hon. and right hon. Members, Southend borough council members and officers will be convened.

Transport: Skilled Workers

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the adequacy of supply of engineering and other skills required to implement his Department's transport strategy; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: The Department for Transport, and its agencies, work closely with professional and trade bodies to understand what engineering and technical support capacity will be required by transport in the future. We acknowledge there has been, and remains, a shortage of relevant engineering and technical skills within the UK. However, these constraints are now less critical than in the past given the greater international mobility of labour and the shorter period needed to train people in these skills.
	We are seeking to address the remaining skills gaps in a number of ways.
	For example, the Highways Agency publishes a forward look of work to enable its suppliers to allocate and manage resources effectively. It works closely with key suppliers, professional and trade bodies to identify and address potential skills and other constraints. The Highways Agency also supports apprenticeship schemes in the construction sector through the national roads programme.
	As part of our rail technical strategy we will be outlining the skills the railways will need in the longer term to deliver a more cost effective, sustainable and higher capacity railway.
	And for Crossrail, where at the peak of construction in 2013-15 some 14,000 jobs, involving over 40 trades and professions, will be needed, we are working with industry bodies to establish a Tunnelling Academy offering training and recognised qualifications.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Biofuels

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the Government have spent on research on the potential for biofuel use overseas in the last 12 months.

Joan Ruddock: I have been asked to reply.
	UK Government policy on biofuels has always been based on making their production and use sustainable. A number of studies on biofuel sustainability have considered the supply and demand of biofuels anticipated globally. These include the Gallagher Review commissioned by the Renewable Fuels Agency—the Gallagher Review and the studies underpinning it are available via the Renewable Fuels Agency's website
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/rfa/
	and a study on the environmental sustainability of international biofuels production commissioned by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), available on DEFRA's website at www.defra.gov.uk. These studies cost approximately £300,000.
	Research has also been commissioned to consider key social, economic and ecological consequences of the development of bioenergy and its impacts on the rural poor in developing countries. These include a study commissioned by the Department for International Development on the impact of biofuels on agriculture and poverty reduction in developing countries, costing approximately £8,000, and available on the Overseas Development Institute website; and, under the auspices of the Brazil: UK: Southern Africa Taskforce on Biofuels, the Brazil:UK:Africa Partnership on Bioethanol Scoping study, which was commissioned by the Office for Science and Innovation (part of the former Department of Trade and Industry). The study looked into the technical potential for sugar cane for bioethanol in Africa, cost approximately £116,000 and is available on the Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform website.
	The Government have recently committed a further £170,000 to a five year transnational consortia research programme, "Bioenergy - an opportunity or threat to the rural poor" as part of the ERA-ARD (European Research Area for Agricultural Research and Development net).

Carbon Emissions

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Maidenhead of 1 July 2008,  Official Report, columns 770-74W, if he will place in the Library a copy of the reports on  (a) distributional impacts of personal carbon trading,  (b) personal carbon trading: public acceptability,  (c) public understanding of sustainable energy use in the home and  (d) waste infrastructure research.

Joan Ruddock: I have been asked to reply.
	I am arranging for copies of the reports on Distributional Personal Carbon Trading, Personal Carbon Trading: Public Acceptability, and Public Understanding of Sustainable Energy Use in the Home to be placed in the Library of the House. I have been informed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs that the navigator waste infrastructure research study has not yet been completed.

Carbon Emissions: EU Law

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage contribution to a reduction in UK carbon emissions on 1990 levels, as defined by the Climate Change Bill, are expected to be made by full compliance with the EU Renewables Directive by 2020.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	Potential measures set out in the Renewable Energy Strategy (RES) consultation, to achieve 15 per cent. energy from renewable sources by 2020, are estimated to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in 2020 by 20 to 25 MtCO2 outside the EU emissions trading scheme (transport and smaller scale heat), and to contribute 50 to 55 MtCO2 of savings within the EU emissions trading scheme cap (electricity and larger scale heat). The estimated savings outside, and additional to, the EU ETS cap represent around 10 to 15 per cent. of the reduction in carbon emissions required to achieve the Climate Change Bill's target of at least a 26 per cent. reduction in carbon emissions on 1990 levels for the five-year budgetary period including the year 2020, which implies a reduction in carbon emissions of at least 154 MtCO2 on 1990 levels.

Inland Waterways: Property

John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the further review of the Environment Agency's plans for lock-keepers' cottages along the Thames will be published; whether the review has included a re-examination of the business case for disposal of the cottages; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: holding answer 23 October 2008
	The Environment Agency intends to announce proposals for lock houses on the River Thames in the new year, after further negotiations have been held with the unions about all the terms and conditions for lock staff. The review will include a re-examination of the business case and will consider the issues raised by MPs, members of the public and staff.

River Lymington: Ferries

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 13 October 2008,  Official Report, column 938W, on River Lymington: ferries, what the role of the Government Office for the South East will be in resolving the situation regarding Wightlink's application for shore works in the Lymington River.

Huw Irranca-Davies: holding answer 23 October 2008
	It is part of Government Office's role to connect Whitehall to key regional players and join up the agencies, non-departmental public bodies and regulators which operate regionally. In this instance, Government Office for the South-East is working with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, other Government Departments and the many regulators involved in this project to promote progress and a joined up response to the issue.

JUSTICE

Anti-corruption Champion

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will make a statement on his role as anti-corruption champion.

Jack Straw: The Government take very seriously their responsibility to tackle international and domestic corruption and as the anti-corruption champion, I will be taking forward the reform of the law on bribery and developing a comprehensive UK strategy for tackling foreign bribery, including a full response to the recent OECD report.
	The UK is recognised as one of the least corrupt countries in the world—16(th) in the world and 3(rd) of G8 countries and we are committed to tackling foreign bribery by UK firms. We have had the first conviction for foreign bribery in international transactions this summer and over 20 foreign bribery investigations.
	We have already announced in May this year in the draft legislative programme that we intend to introduce a draft Bribery Bill in the next Session. This will be informed by the Law Commission report on bribery, due next month.

Courts System: Pay Rates

Eric Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the system of regional pay within the courts system; and if he will make a statement.

Shahid Malik: The planned review of the pay and grading arrangements introduced last year for the Ministry of Justice is now under way. The review will cover all aspects of the new pay structure, including local pay. However, I can confirm that over the year since it was introduced, the Ministry has not experienced any difficulties in recruitment, retention or other operating issues arising from local pay.

Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority

Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the performance of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority against its objectives.

Maria Eagle: Rigorous performance assessment systems are in place. Performance is monitored and managed against CICA's agreed objectives as set out in the 2008-09 Business Plan, on a monthly basis by the sponsor unit. Assessment to date shows that CICA's unit cost per case has reduced, the time for registering an application has reduced, the cycle time to reach a first decision has reduced, and the size of the live case load has reduced and is the lowest it has been in 20 years.

Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the performance of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority against its objectives.

Jack Straw: Rigorous performance assessment systems are in place. Performance is monitored and managed against CICA's agreed objectives as set out in the 2008-09 Business Plan, on a monthly basis by the sponsor unit. Assessment to date shows that CICA's unit cost per case has reduced, the time for registering an application has reduced, the cycle time to reach a first decision has reduced, and the size of the live case-load has reduced and is the lowest it has been in 20 years.

Citizenship

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on how to expand initiatives on, and awareness of, citizenship among people between the ages of 16 and 30.

Michael Wills: Earlier this year, the Government established an independent Youth Citizenship Commission, to examine what citizenship means to young people, and exploring ways to encourage them to be active citizens. It will report to the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Justice in spring 2009.

Courts Service

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he next expects to meet senior members of the judiciary to discuss the budget for HM Courts Service.

Bridget Prentice: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor meets with the senior judiciary on a regular basis to discuss a range of issues, including the budget or Her Majesty's Courts Service.

Courts Service

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the  (a) court time expended and  (b) cost to the Courts Service of cases of television licence fee evasion.

Bridget Prentice: In 2006, we published estimates regarding television licence evasion cases in 'Delivering Simple, Speedy, Summary Justice' showing that in 2005 there were 173,000 cases taking approximately 5,800 hours of court time.

Courts Service

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he next expects to meet senior members of the judiciary to discuss the budget for HM Courts Service; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: We expect the proposed allocation of funds to Her Majesty's Courts Service for 2009-10 to become known in early November. We expect to be consulting with the judiciary under the terms of the Framework Agreement during mid/late November. We expect the allocation to Her Majesty's Courts Service to be finalised by the Ministry of Justice after these discussions have concluded.

Courts Service: Northamptonshire

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what representations he has received on staffing levels in the Northamptonshire courts service and the implications of such levels for the effectiveness of judicial arrangements.

Jack Straw: Formal representations have been received from the hon. Member for Daventry (Mr. Boswell) and my hon. Friend the Member for Corby (Phil Hope) in relation to communications from the Northamptonshire Magistrates' Bench chairmen voicing concerns about the impact on the delivery of the magistrates' courts service as a result of delays in recruitment of staff.

Prison Officers: Assaults

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps his Department is taking to reduce the incidence of attacks on prison officers by inmates.

Jack Straw: Ministers and the Prison Service are committed to ensuring that violence in prisons is not tolerated in any form. Since 2004 every public sector prison has had in place a local violence reduction strategy. From mid 2007 this policy has included the contracted out prisons. The National Offender Management Service and the Prison Officers' Association are jointly committed to 'zero tolerance' on assaults on staff.

Political Party Funding

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will take steps to regulate political party funding via British subsidiaries of foreign-owned companies.

Michael Wills: In order to donate to UK political parties, companies must be registered and carry on business in the UK. I acknowledge the concerns which have been expressed about the scope for evasion of the ban on foreign donations contained in these provisions, and I would be very happy to discuss how they might be improved to better deliver their underlying purpose. I suggest that this may be most usefully done in the context of debates on the Political Parties and Elections Bill which will be considered by Public Bill Committee in November.

Titan Prisons

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what progress has been made on the Government's plans to build titan prisons.

Jack Straw: The Government are currently analysing the responses to their recent consultation exercise and plan to publish their response later this year.

Radicalisation: Prisons

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps are being taken to combat radicalisation in prisons.

David Hanson: The Government's counter-terrorism strategy identifies prisons as one of a number of arenas where extremists may seek to radicalise others. Prisons manage this risk as part of the National Offender Management Service's work to protect the public and reduce re-offending. The National Offender Management Service works closely with the Home Office and other experts to develop our counter-radicalisation efforts.

Young Offender Institutions

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the capacity of young offender institutions in England and Wales.

David Hanson: We keep the capacity of the prison estate, including young offender institutions, under review. We are increasing prison capacity to meet current population pressures and a projected rise in the prison population by building around 1,500 additional places for the young offender estate.

Prisons: Telephones

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will conduct a review of the cost to prisoners of telephone calls from prisons.

Shahid Malik: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) met British Telecom on 17 October to begin negotiations on the cost of prisoner calls following the recommendation made by Ofcom in their investigation into the National Consumer Council super-complaint. NOMS is seeking a reduction in the cost of domestic landline and mobile calls for prisoners, although the provider is not contractually obliged to do so. NOMS will keep Ofcom informed of developments. Planning for the re-tendering project is also under way and we hope that call costs can be reduced under a new contract from April 2011.

Commonhold

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he expects to publish a consultation document on commonhold tenure; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: We are currently reviewing our plans for the publication of a consultation document on commonhold in the light of other priorities. Therefore, no date has been set for publication. I will make a statement about the publication date when a decision has been made.

Departmental Consultants

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on external IT consultants in the last 12 months.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice uses external consultants to provide expert professional advice on specific time limited tasks, usually in connection with projects, and only where the knowledge and advice they bring cannot be provided in-house.
	Our records show expenditure on external IT consultants for the financial year 2007-08 was £4.5 million.

Domestic Violence: Victim Support Schemes

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps the Government have taken to support victims of domestic violence during the judicial process.

Bridget Prentice: Since 1997 the Government have been working to ensure that all sections of domestic violence law support and protect all victims of domestic abuse. In 2004 the Government passed the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act which was the biggest overhaul of domestic violence law for 30 years.
	Aside from legislation, on a national level in criminal courts this has included practical system changes promoting a co-ordinated community response to domestic violence through a set of initiatives in and around the criminal justice agencies which include:
	establishing 104 Specialist Domestic Violence Courts (SDVC) with a commitment to increase this to 128 courts by 2011. These innovative courts represent both a partnership and a problem solving approach to domestic violence where the police, prosecutors, magistrates, court staff, the probation service and specialist support services work together to identify, track and risk' assess cases, support victims of domestic violence and share information better so that more offenders are brought to justice;
	setting up Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences by the agencies which focus on issues of safety, children, housing and health; and
	funding independent domestic violence advisers, via the Third Sector, who support victims through the court process.
	In both criminal and family courts which are not part of the SDVC network, special measures are available such as screening vulnerable witnesses or victims from the view of the accused, giving evidence by video link, separate exits and entrances to the court, separate waiting rooms, separate toilets and advance viewing of the court.
	There are other ways that victims are supported, for example, the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 provides central funding to appoint a lawyer to protect victims and witnesses of specific offences against cross-examination by a defendant in person.
	I would be happy to write to you in more detail on the steps the Government have taken.

Driving Offences: Hampshire

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were  (a) cautioned and  (b) fined for speeding in Hampshire in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: Available information on speed limit offences within the Hampshire police force area from 2002 to 2006 (latest available) is provided in the following table. 2007 data should be available end of November 2008.
	The force does not issue written warnings (cautions) for summary motoring offences.
	
		
			  Number of magistrates courts imposed fines( 1, 2 ) and fixed penalty notices issued( 3)  for speed limit offences( 4) , within Hampshire police force area, 2002 to 2006 
			  Number of offences 
			   Court imposed fines( 1, 2)  Fixed penalty notices issued( 3) 
			 2002 4,949 31,867 
			 2003 5,270 45,324 
			 2004 4,237 52,587 
			 2005 5,050 58,750 
			 2006 4,571 49,404 
			 (1) May include cases where fixed penalty was issued and not paid and consequently referred to court. (2) Magistrates courts data only. Fines given at the Crown court total nationally (England and Wales) less than 10 each year. (3) Covers tickets paid where there is no further action. (4) Offences under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 ss. 16, 81, 84, 86, 88 and 89; Motor Vehicles (Speed Limit on Motorways) Regs. 1973; Parks Regulation (Amendment) Act 1926: byelaws made thereunder.  Notes: 1. Force does not issue written warnings for summary motoring offences. 2. It is known that for some police force areas, the reporting of court proceedings in particular those relating to summary motoring offences, may be less than complete. Written warning may also be under reported. 3. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Electoral Register: Fraud

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what procedures are in place to prevent second home owners voting in more than one constituency at general elections.

Michael Wills: It is an offence for a person to vote twice in a general election. Any offence, if successfully prosecuted, could result in a fine of up to £5,000. At a general election the presiding officer at a polling station may, if necessary, ask any elector if they have already voted at the election, and may withhold a ballot paper from an elector if they do not answer the question satisfactorily.
	If an elector votes in person in a polling station the electoral register is marked to record the issue of the ballot paper to them, and similarly a list is maintained of returned postal votes. In the event of an election petition or police investigation following a general election, these records may bring to light any voting irregularities at the election.

Mentally Disturbed Offenders

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his Department's policy is on meeting the needs of convicted prisoners with psychiatric disorders.

David Hanson: Responsibility to secure appropriate mental health treatment and care within the prison estate transferred fully to primary care trusts with commissioning responsibility in the NHS in 2006. Investment increased from £118 million in 2002-03 to nearly £200 million in 2006-07 and 2007-08.
	Mental health treatment and care is delivered by the NHS within prisons. By 2005-06 nearly £20 million was being invested recurrently in mental health in-reach. There are now 102 mental health in-reach teams and all prisons have access to them: a total of 360 extra staff altogether. These teams apply NHS standards to the care and management of patients. This includes where relevant management under the care programme approach, individual support and treatment plans and access to day services and psychological therapies. For those individuals who are assessed to be too ill to treat in prison arid meet the criteria for detention under section of the Mental Health Act are transferred to hospital for treatment.
	Last year, 28 per cent. more prisoners, with mental illness too severe for prison, were transferred to hospital than in 2002—up to 926 from 723. There has also been a significant decrease in the number of people waiting for a transfer. At the end of December 2007 there were 40 people waiting for a bed for more than 12 weeks. At the end of March 2008 there were only 24.
	In relation to the small number of people with a severe personality disorder who are dangerous, the Department of Health and Ministry of Justice is investing in special secure services. The programme has a capacity of over 300 places in two high security prisons (Frankland and Whitemoor); a female prison (Low Newton in Durham) and two high security hospitals (Broadmoor and Rampton). They provide essential clinical services for dangerous offenders whose offending is linked to severe personality disorder.

Mentally Disturbed Offenders

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the facilities available to convicted prisoners with severe psychiatric disorders; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: We continue to investigate the issues and have commissioned Lord Bradley to review a wide range of services for offenders with mental health issues. The Government welcomed the report prepared last year by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons on the mental health of prisoners and the recommendations made therein for improving the quality of mental health treatment and care. There continues to be investment in prison health services to meet the needs of prisoners with mental health problems. All prisoners receive a health assessment when received into prison, prisons now have access to mental health in reach teams, this enables prisoners with mental health problems to be treated and managed in a variety of locations within prisons, reflecting the care and treatment that would be available in community settings. Day services are available in some establishments to support individuals with mental health problems.
	Additional funding for drug services is being made available to meet the needs of prisoners with dual diagnosis. For those individuals who are too ill to be managed in a custodial setting and whose mental health needs have been assessed as meeting the criteria for detention under the Mental Health Act, are transferred to hospital for treatment and only return to prison when well enough. The Department of Health in partnership with the MoJ will publish its strategy 'Improving Health Supporting Justice' next year incorporating our views on the quality and future direction of health care in prisons fallowing a public consultation. The strategy will also take account of the recommendations that Lord Bradley will make on the potential to divert people with mental health problems and/or learning difficulties away from prison. This builds on the work we already do to divert over 500 mentally disordered offenders to hospital every year, avoiding prison altogether, and to transfer over 800 people a year from prison if they need specialist treatment in hospital.

Mentally Disturbed Offenders

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent discussions he has had with the Chief Inspector of Prisons on the provision of treatment in prisons for prisoners with severe psychiatric disorders; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: I meet with the Chief Inspector on a regular basis and discuss a variety of issues. The Government welcomed the HM Inspector of Prisons thematic review on the mental health of prisoners published in 2007 and the recommendations made therein for improving the quality of mental health treatment and care. We also welcome the Chief Inspector's most recent report on the indeterminate sentence for public protection. The Department of Health in partnership with the Ministry of Justice will publish its strategy Improving Health Supporting Justice' next year incorporating our views on the quality and future direction of health care in prisons following a public consultation. This will also take account of the recommendations that Lord Bradley will make on the potential to divert people with mental health problems and/or learning disabilities away from prison.

Mentally Ill Staff

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what information his Department has gathered on the effect of its policies and practices on the recruitment, development and retention of employees with mental illnesses within  (a) his Department and  (b) the public sector bodies for which he has responsibility; and what use has been made of that information.

Shahid Malik: Under the Disability Equality Duty introduced by the Disability Discrimination Act 2005, the Department and its public sector bodies listed in the associated Regulations are required to publish and implement disability equality schemes. These are plans setting out how they will carry out the Disability Equality Duty, monitor, and report on progress. In particular this includes their arrangements for gathering information on the effect of their policies and practices on the recruitment, development and retention of their disabled employees, including those with mental health conditions, and making use of that information.
	The Department's disability equality scheme sets out various arrangements and procedures.
	In order to ensure that the disability equality issues are enshrined in all departmental legislation, policy and service delivery, all new policies and functions have to be equality impact assessed for their impact on disabled people.
	The Department gathers and uses information on the effect of its policies and practices on disabled people in a number of ways, including involving disabled people in focus groups, through staff surveys and by identifying relevant research or data collected by other Government Departments and organisations.
	The Department aims to go beyond compliance and there is a commitment to ensuring that disabled staff have confidence and trust in the organisation and that they are able to participate fully in staff development opportunities. The Department is an authorised user of the two ticks scheme, allowing disabled candidates who meet the minimum requirements of a role, to be guaranteed an interview, for both internally and externally advertised positions.
	The Department has a disability network that provides confidential advice and support to staff, and a Workplace Support Services helpline and advisers to signpost staff to sources of help, including disability advice, information or assistance within the Department or to outside service providers and voluntary organisations.
	There is also guidance on making reasonable adjustments to meet the particular requirements identified by an individual who has declared a disability (though disability declaration is voluntary), and a range of guidance on specific disabilities.
	The public sector bodies sponsored by my Department that are subject to these requirements are responsible for publishing and implementing their own disability equality schemes.
	In line with the Disability Equality Duty, a report is published every three years to show: progress towards disability equality in my policy sector; and proposals for co-ordination of future work by relevant public authorities within my policy sector. These reports will show what impact, if any, policies have had on the recruitment and retention of disabled people including those with mental health condition, and set out proposals to address any gaps identified when establishing the progress made across the policy sector. The first report must be published by December 2008.

Offenders: Employment

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of released prisoners found  (a) full-time employment and  (b) placements in work-based training programmes within six months of completing their sentence in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The total number of prisoners who have education, training or employment (ETE) secured upon release are shown in table 1 for each of the last five years.
	Further data, recording those persons entering and sustaining employment/training four weeks following commencement, for both offenders released on licence and those serving community orders is shown in table 2. It is not possible to separately identify those that had a custodial sentence without incurring disproportionate cost.
	There is no recorded data relating to employment or training placements sustained after four weeks.
	
		
			  Table 1: The total number of prisoners who have education, training or employment (ETE) secured on release for each of the last five years 
			   Employment on discharge  Education and training on discharge  KPI outturn employment  KPI outturn employment  KPI outturn training and education 
			 2003-04 — — 35,530 — — 
			 2004-05 — — 41,146 — — 
			 2005-06 — — 42,879 — — 
			 2006-07 — — 40,573 — — 
			 2007-08 24,340 9,622 — 27.0 10.7 
			  Notes:  1. KPI outturn for 2003-04 based on an end year resettlement survey.  2. Outcomes up to and including 2006-07 include those who attended Freshstart appointments at Jobcentre Plus, whereby prisoners who do not have a job or training place to go to on release are linked into employment, training and benefits advice and support immediately after release. Prisoners attending counted as half a point. Data showing have already been calculated as half a point.  3. Between 2003-04 and 2006-07 there was one measure for number of prisoners released into employment, training and education.  4. For 2007-08, the resettlement measure is expressed separately for employment, training and education. There are separate targets for the proportion of prisoners who have employment, and the proportion who have training and education upon release. Job Centre Plus data no longer included in the KPI from 2007-08. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Data, recording those persons entering and sustaining employment/training four weeks following commencement, for both offenders released on licence and those serving community orders 
			   2006-07  2007-08 
			  Job entries   
			 All persons supervised by Probation Service England and Wales total 19,926 22,006 
			
			  Employment sustained for four weeks   
			 All persons supervised by Probation Service England and Wales total 14,248 16,823 
			  Notes:  1. Data were not recorded prior to 2006-07.  2. Latest available full year data.

Polling Stations: CCTV

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department has issued guidance on the placing of CCTV cameras near polling stations.

Michael Wills: The Information Commissioner's Office has already issued a CCTV Code of Practice, which provides guidance to ensure that those who use CCTV comply with the Data Protection Act 1998. The code covers the siting of cameras. One of the tenets of the code is that equipment be sited for limited purposes and not in any manner incompatible with those purposes.

Prison Officers: Vaccinations

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prison officers in England and Wales who are at occupational risk have been required to pay for vaccination against chronic hepatitis B since January 2000; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: No prison officers in England and Wales have been required to pay for hepatitis B vaccination since January 2000. Prison Service policy is that all prisons are required to provide vaccinations for staff at risk. Staff are not charged.

Prisons: North-West

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which local authorities in the North-West have expressed an interest in a titan prison being established in their area.

Jack Straw: One local authority in the North-West has so far indicated sites available in their area as possibly being suitable, that is Lancaster and Wyre.

Reparation by Offenders

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his policy on restorative justice and its future funding is; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: Our policy remains to encourage, but not require, the use of adult restorative justice, particularly as a service to victims where there is consistent evidence that it delivers high levels of satisfaction. It is for local criminal justice boards and other criminal justice agencies to consider how best to use their funding to meet their targets and local needs and a number of areas have established schemes to deliver adult restorative justice.
	Youth offending teams use restorative justice as part of their work to prevent offending and increase victim satisfaction. They implement this work from their own resources.

Standford Hill Prison

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps are being taken in response to prisoners' views about methods of pain relief in Standford Hill Prison as outlined in the measuring the quality of prison life survey of June 2008; and whether there is a ban on prescribing oxycontin for pain relief in the prison.

David Hanson: The National Offender Management Service has no authority over the types of medication prescribed by doctors who work in prisons. Complaints should be taken up with the local primary care trust. There is not a ban on prescribing Oxycontin at Standford Hill.

Taxis: Licensing

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) arrests,  (b) prosecutions and  (c) convictions there have been for offences relating to drivers operating taxi services without a licence in the last five years.

Maria Eagle: The information requested on arrests is not collected centrally.
	The arrests collection held by the Home Office covers arrests for recorded crime (notifiable offences) only, broken down at a main offence group level, covering categories such as violence against the person and robbery. Offences relating to drivers operating taxi services without a licence are not notifiable offences and do not form a part of the arrests collection.
	The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for offences under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 S.167, and the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 Sec 40-60, and 62-68, in England and Wales, 2002 to 2006 can be viewed in the following table.
	However only section 47 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 covers "Acting as a Hackney Carriage driver without a licence." The Office for Criminal Justice Reform is unable to separately identify offences under section 47 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847, as they form part of a group which cannot be analysed further. The table shows data for sections 40-60 and 62-68 of the Act.
	Court proceedings data are unable to separate Section 47—Act as a Hackney carriage driver without a licence, and Employ an unlicensed Hackney carriage driver. From the other set of offences under this statute as they are grouped together.
	These data are on the principal offence basis. The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offence for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the offence selected is the one for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	Court proceedings data for 2007 will be available at the end of November 2008.
	
		
			  Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for offences under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 S.167, and the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 Sec 40-60, and 62-68, in England and Wales, 2002 to 2006( 1, 2, 3, 4) 
			   Town Police Clauses Act 1847 Sec 40-60, and 62-68  Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec 167. 
			   Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty 
			 2002 450 391 229 182 
			 2003 337 270 259 194 
			 2004 292 248 483 311 
			 2005 283 233 597 422 
			 2006 391 325 714 384 
			 (1 )These data are on the principal offence basis. (2 )Includes the following statutes and corresponding offence descriptions  Town Police Clauses Act 1847 Sec 40-60, and 62-68.  Offences peculiar to stage carriage and public service vehicles.  Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec 167.  Touting for hire car service without PSV operator's licence. (3 )Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4 )Court proceedings data are unable to separate Section 47—Act as a Hackney carriage driver without a licence, and Employ an unlicensed Hackney carriage driver—from the other set of offences under this statute as they are grouped together.  Source:  Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Evidence and Analysis Unit

Will Owen

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether all the official documents relating to Will Owen, former hon. Member for the former constituency of Morpeth, have been placed in the public domain; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Wills: Official documents relating to Will Owen are available to view at the National Archives, either in their reading rooms at Kew or online.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Council Tax Benefit

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people he estimates are  (a) eligible for and  (b) in receipt of council tax benefit in each region.

Kitty Ussher: holding answer 23 October 2008
	Estimates of the number of people eligible for council tax benefit are not available below the level of Great Britain.
	The latest available information on the number of council tax benefit recipients by region is in the table.
	
		
			  Council tax benefit recipients by Government Office Region: August 2007 
			   Number 
			 Great Britain 5,079,080 
			 North East 296,640 
			 North West 682,710 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 459,010 
			 East Midlands 336,230 
			 West Midlands 504,300 
			 East 391,780 
			 London 728,010 
			 South East 503,910 
			 South West 368,200 
			 Wales 281,890 
			 Scotland 526,400 
			  Notes: 1. The data refer to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple. 2. The figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. 3. Figures for any non-responding authorities have been estimated. 4. Figures may not sum due to rounding 5. Council tax benefit totals exclude any second adult rebate cases.  Source: Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly 100 per cent. caseload stock-count taken in August 2007.

Council Tax Benefit

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much council tax benefit was paid in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 in (i) England and (ii) Wales; and how much is expected to be paid in 2008-09.

Kitty Ussher: holding answer 27 October 2008
	The available information on council tax benefit expenditure is in the following tables:
	
		
			  Council tax benefit expenditure for England and Wales 
			  £ million, nominal 
			   2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 England 3,382 3,508 3,658 
			 Wales 172 180 188 
		
	
	
		
			  Council tax benefit expenditure 
			  £ million, 2008-09 prices 
			   2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 England 3,596 3,613 3,658 
			 Wales 183 186 188 
			  Notes:  1. There may be differences between figures quoted in these tables and those quoted in Department for Work and Pensions Accounts.  2. Expenditure for 2007-08 reflects the latest estimated outturn, and not the amounts voted by Parliament.  3. Real terms figures have been calculated using Gross Domestic Product deflators updated after the 2008 Budget Report on 12 March 2008.   Source:  Local authorities' subsidy returns and DWP forecasts.

Housing Benefit

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what guidance his Department has issued on the criteria for remitting payment of housing benefit directly to landlords providing accommodation for vulnerable people;
	(2)  what discretion local authorities have to decide whether housing benefit is paid directly to landlords providing accommodation for vulnerable tenants;

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the merits of paying housing benefit directly to private landlords where their tenants agree.

Kitty Ussher: There will always be a small proportion of tenants who will struggle with the responsibility of paying their own rents, so there are safeguards in place.
	We have not issued guidance on the payment of housing benefit directly to the landlord. If local authorities consider that the tenant is likely to have difficulty in relation to the management of their own affairs they may make payment to the landlord. For example, if the tenant is known to have a learning disorder or a drug/alcohol problem that would mean they are likely to have difficulty handling a budget, payment could be made to the landlord.
	If local authorities consider it improbable that the customer will pay their rent, for example, if the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) authority is aware that the tenant has consistently failed to pay the rent on past occasions without good reason, payment might be made to the landlord.
	This is made at the discretion of the local authority, which is best placed to decide.
	Payment of housing benefit to the landlord is a statutory requirement if a tenant has built up rent arrears of eight weeks or more, or is having deductions from their Income Support or Jobseeker's Allowance to pay off rent arrears. If this occurs, the local authority has the discretion to continue paying direct to the landlord when the level of arrears drops to below eight weeks. The use of an eight-week period ties in with the period of eight weeks in which a tenant can fail to pay the rent without being evicted.
	In practical terms, this means that we advise local authorities to continue to encourage landlords to report any missing payments at the first opportunity. Where missed payments are reported, local authorities also continue to check whether there are any benefit issues outstanding, and seek evidence of any arrears outstanding through discussions with both landlords and tenants.
	No assessment has been made of the merits of paying housing benefit directly to private landlords where their tenants agree. Choice is only one aspect of the LHA, but a key principle is responsibility. We want to turn housing benefit into an enabling benefit rather than passive support. This cannot be achieved without tenants taking personal responsibility for their rent.

Housing Benefit

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what monitoring his Department is undertaking of the proportion of housing benefit paid directly to landlords because of the vulnerability of the tenant.

Kitty Ussher: The Department is undertaking a review of local housing allowance over the two years from the commencement of its national roll-out in April 2008. As part of this review, we will be monitoring the proportion of housing benefit claimants in the private rented sector who have their benefit paid directly to their landlord due to their vulnerability.

Income Support: Lone Parents

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 20 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 145-46W, on income support: lone parents, if he will place in the Library a copy of  (a) the letter sent to all lone parents that will be affected by the changes to the eligibility rules for income support coming into effect in November 2008,  (b) a copy of the fact sheet for lone parents outlining the changes and  (c) the leaflet and posters setting out the steps each lone parent should take; and if he will make a statement.

Kitty Ussher: A copy of the October customer mailshot letter, the November customer mailshot letter and current copies of all three customer lone parent changes fact sheets, are now available and will be placed in the Library. The fact sheets are also available on the Jobcentre Plus website.
	All three fact sheets are currently being revised in preparation for distribution from 24 November, copies of which will be available, along with copies of the leaflets and posters, in the Library by the end of November.

Income Support: Lone Parents

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 20 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 145-46W, on income support: lone parents, how many and what proportion of the lone parents who will be affected by the changes to the eligibility rules for income support coming into effect in November 2008 have been sent a letter outlining the effects that the changes may have on them, broken down by the smallest geographical area for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Kitty Ussher: On 7 October, 97,950 letters were sent by mailshot to customers in Great Britain and to 5,057 customers in Wales, informing them of the introduction of quarterly work-focused interviews, and previously between 18 August and 22 September, a mailshot was sent to all 32,245 lone parents currently claiming disability premium, who may also be affected by the changes.
	We will write to around 110,000 lone parents, with a youngest child aged 11 and over, across England, Scotland and Wales during week commencing 24 November telling them about the changes and how they may be affected.

Local Housing Allowance

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the highest weekly payment of local housing allowance is that has been paid since its introduction; and in which broad market rental areas it was paid.

Kitty Ussher: The Rent Service has confirmed that the highest weekly local housing allowance (LHA) rate they have issued is £2,875 per week, which has been quoted in recent press stories. This LHA rate was provided for Broad Rental Market Areas Central London and Inner North and West London.
	As the Department has not received data returns from all local authorities for the whole of the period since the introduction of the LHA, we cannot confirm what the highest weekly amount actually paid out has been.

Pension Credit

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the average credit pension credit recipients will receive in each of the next three years.

Rosie Winterton: The estimated average pension credit that will be received by each claimant in Great Britain over each of the next three years is given in the following table.
	
		
			   Average pension credit (£ per week) 
			 2008-09 51.50 
			 2009-10 53.06 
			 2010-11 55.00 
			  Note: Estimates are consistent with average weekly receipt estimates for 2007-08 from the Department's Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study.  Source:  DWP forecasts published spring 2008.

Pension Credit

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people applied for pension credit in each month since January 2006.

Rosie Winterton: The following table shows the amount of pension credit applications for each month from January 2006 to September 2008:
	
		
			  Pension credit claims received  2006  2007  2008 
			 January 33,454 27,914 25,619 
			 February 36,930 23,525 23,460 
			 March 38,246 26,932 20,791 
			 April 27,810 26,209 24,265 
			 May 30,725 26,710 21,946 
			 June 32,625 23,893 23,251 
			 July 28,606 24,490 27,903 
			 August 31,332 24,594 22,869 
			 September 28,525 24,107 25,226 
			 October 28,072 24,121 — 
			 November 30,368 24,319 — 
			 December 21,402 17,123 — 
			 12-month total 368,095 293,937 215,330 
			  Source:  Management Information System Programme (MISP).

Pensioners: Income

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average income of households in Bexley is where all occupants are of pensionable age.

Rosie Winterton: The information that is available is shown in the following table. Information cannot be provided at a lower level than Government Office Region, averaged over three years. Figures are based on survey data and as such subject to a degree of sampling and non sampling error. Figures are based on the average of three years' data as single year estimates do not provide a robust guide to year-on-year changes.
	
		
			  Average gross income of pensioner units where all members are state pension age or over, 2004-05  to  2006-07 
			   £per week (2006-07 prices) 
			 London 351 
			 United Kingdom 322 
			  Notes: 1. Gross income is income from all sources received by the pensioner unit including income from social security benefits, earnings from employment, any private pension, and tax credits. 2. Based on survey data and as such subject to a degree of sampling and non sampling error. Figures are based on the average of three years' data as single year estimates do not provide a robust guide to year-on-year changes. United Kingdom figures are included on the same basis for comparison: further information for single years at a national level are available in the publication "Pensioners' Income Series 2006-07. 3. Figures have been rounded to the nearest £. 4. Figures are based on the average incomes of pensioner units (couples or singles) where all members are state pension age or over.

Pensioners: Income

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures are in place to ensure that pensioners in receipt of a state pension and SERPS are not disadvantaged compared to those entitled to pension credits.

Rosie Winterton: The Government provide a solid foundation of support for pensioners through the state pension system while focusing available resources on those who need most through targeted measures such as pension credit.
	At the same time, pensioners in general are entitled to a range of benefits and concessions, including winter fuel payments; free TV licences for those aged over 75; and free bus travel, prescriptions, and eye tests for the over 60s.
	At the point of initial contact with the Department pensioners are given information on the range of benefits to which they may be entitled.
	Reforms by the Government will provide a firmer foundation for future pensioners through a simpler, more widely available and generous state pension.

Pensions: Economic Situation

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effects of the banking crisis on the value of pension funds and their ability to make payments as they fall due; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The latest available data show that defined benefit scheme assets amounted to £768 billion at the end of September 2008, a decrease of 7.7 per cent. over the month and a fall of 4.8 per cent. over last the three months. This has left the aggregate funding position (total assets minus total liabilities) of defined benefit schemes at a deficit of £80.3 billion at end-September 2008.
	In order to pay benefits already accrued under the scheme as these fall due, each defined benefit pension scheme is required by legislation to set a statutory funding objective to have sufficient and appropriate assets. This funding objective is updated regularly. Where such a scheme is under-funded it submits a recovery plan to the Pensions Regulator, and new recovery plans should reflect current economic conditions.
	It should also be noted that while some defined benefit schemes may have deficits, many of their liabilities may not fall due for payment until many years into the future.
	 Note:
	The data used are from the PPF 7800 Index using the monthly update for September 2008—the PPF 7800 is published by the Pension Protection Fund (PPF). Figures represent the latest estimated assets and net funding position, on a s179 basis, of almost 7,783 predominantly private sector defined benefit (DB) pension schemes in the UK. The s179 basis is, broadly speaking, what would have to be paid to an insurance company to take on the payment of PPF levels of compensation.

Poverty: Children

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to assist  (a) workless households with children under five years of age and  (b) families in relative poverty with children under five years of age; and if he will make a statement.

Kitty Ussher: To help children, we must help their families. For most families, paid work is the most important route out of poverty. Accordingly, we have a support package of pre-employment and in-work support measures to help lone parents and couple parents move into work, make work pay, and help sustainability and progression in work. This includes the new deal for lone parents, the new deal for partners and the Government's 10-year Childcare Strategy.
	The Government also have a range of fiscal and support measures to raise family incomes and ensure families with young children can access high quality services to support their child's development.
	Budget 2008 announced £125 million for pilots to test out new and innovative ways of tackling child poverty, over the next three years. The pilots will explore pioneering approaches to tackling child poverty, identifying those that deliver the best results and the most sustainable long-term impacts.

Poverty: Children

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of three-to five-year olds were living in relative poverty in Leeds West constituency in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of three-to five-year olds were living in workless households in Leeds West constituency in each year since 1997.

Kitty Ussher: Our child poverty statistics, published in the Households Below Average Income series, allow a breakdown of child poverty by Government office region. Information on the number and proportion of three to five-year-olds living in relative poverty is not available below the level of Government office region.
	Data on the proportion of three to five-year-olds living in workless households are estimated using the Annual Population Survey (APS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty as different samples give different results. As the group in question is very specific, the estimates are based on very small sample sizes. Therefore, the margin of uncertainty is very large for these estimates and they are deemed unreliable for practical purposes. It is not possible to provide estimates from 1997 to 2003.
	The following tables show the number and proportion of children aged three to five living in workless working age households in the Leeds, West constituency for the period January to December in each year since 2004.
	Accompanying each estimate is a confidence interval which means that from all samples possible there would be 95 per cent. certainty that the true estimate would lie within the lower and upper bounds.
	
		
			  Number of children aged three to five in workless households in Leeds, West constituency, calendar years January to December in each year 
			   Estimate  Lower bound  Upper bound 
			 2004 2,000 0 2,000 
			 2005 2,000 0 2,000 
			 2006 1,000 0 2,000 
			 2007 1,000 0 2,000 
		
	
	
		
			  Percentage of children aged three to five in workless households in Leeds, West constituency, calendar years January to December in each year 
			   Estimate  Lower bound  Upper bound 
			 2004 41.0 10.5 71.5 
			 2005 52.0 23.8 80.2 
			 2006 25.6 0 56.2 
			 2007 22.6 0 46.2 
			  Notes:  1. Figures for households are based on working age households. A working age household is a household that includes at least one person of working age—that is a woman aged 16 to 59 or a man aged 16 to 64.   Source:  Annual Population Survey Household Datasets.

Retirement: Yorkshire and the Humber

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people who wish to work beyond retirement age in  (a) Leeds West constituency,  (b) the Leeds City area and  (c) Yorkshire and Humberside region in each year since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated October 2008:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what estimate has been made of the number of people who wish to work beyond retirement age in (a) Leeds West, (b) the Leeds City area and (c) Yorkshire and Humberside region in each year since 1997. I am replying in her absence. (228292)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles employment statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) and its predecessor the annual Labour Force Survey (LFS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions.
	Estimates are provided for the number of people over statutory pension age (males aged 65 and over, females aged 60 and over) who stated they were available to work when surveyed. A respondent is classified as being available to work if they are unemployed and available to work, or employed.
	Table 1, attached, shows the number of persons in employment and unemployment over statutory pension age in Leeds West, Leeds and the Yorkshire and the Humber region.
	The estimates from 1998 to 2004 are for the 12 month period ending February that year and taken from the annual LFS. Figures for 2005 to 2008 are for the 12 month period ending March that year and taken from the APS.
	As these estimates are for a subset of the population in small geographical areas, they are based on small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty. A guide to the quality of the estimates is given in Table 1.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of people who are available to work( 1)  beyond statutory pension age in (a) Leeds West, (b) Leeds and (c) Yorkshire and the Humber in each year since 1997. 
			  Thousand 
			  12 months ending  Leeds West  Leeds  Yorkshire and the Humber 
			 February 1998 1 11 53 
			 February 1999 (2)— 11 54 
			 February 2000 2 10 54 
			 February 2001 1 9 62 
			 February 2002 1 10 59 
			 February 2003 1 13 68 
			 February 2004 1 14 73 
			 March 2005 1 12 69 
			 March 2006 2 10 74 
			 March 2007 2 13 83 
			 March 2008(3) (4)2 (4)14 (4)90 
			 (1 )The number of people available to work is defined as those who responded either as being in employment or unemployed. (2 )Data are not available. (3) Coefficients of variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See (4 )as follows. (4 ) Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220.  Key Coefficient of Variation (CV) (%) Statistical Robustness * 0 = CV < 5 Estimates are considered precise ** 5 = CV < 10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 = CV < 20 Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes.  Source: Labour Force Survey and Annual Population Survey.

Social Fund

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many callers were unable to speak to an operator about a Social Fund application in  (a) the last quarter and  (b) the last year for which figures are available.

Kitty Ussher: holding answer 23 October 2008
	The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about how many callers were unable to speak to an operator about a Social Fund application in  (a) the last quarter and  (b) the last year for which figures are available. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The information requested is not available. The current telephony management data does not tell us how many customers do not get through to an officer.
	Jobcentre Plus are rolling out an advanced telephony system which will be completed at the end of April 2009 at which time we will look at producing telephony reports that provide this information.

Social Fund

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the reasons why applications for Social Fund  (a) community care grants decreased by 9.2 per cent. and  (b) budgeting loans decreased by 11.3 per cent. between 2007 and 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Kitty Ussher: No assessment has been made of the reasons for the decreases in applications for Social Fund community care grants and budgeting loans. Applications for community care grants and budgeting Loans vary from year to year. Numbers have decreased previously and subsequently risen.

State Retirement Pension

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals received the state pension in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The information is in the table.
	
		
			   Number of individuals in  receipt of state pension 
			 2008 12,011,540 
			 2007 11,785,670 
			 2006 11,611,590 
			 2005 11,519,880 
			 2004 11,354,100 
			  Notes:  1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Some additional disclosure control has also been applied.  2. Figures are taken at February for each year.  Source:  DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study

State Retirement Pension

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases of pensioners potentially entitled to lump sum payments of backdated retirement pension through payment of Class 3 National Insurance contributions his Department has identified to date in the special exercise that is underway; how much has been paid out in such lump sums to date; to how many people; when he expects to complete this exercise; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 27 October 2008
	The special exercise is due to be completed in December 2009. To date 4,917 pensioners have been identified with the potential to benefit from paying class 3 national insurance contributions. A further 1,580 pensioners have been identified who could potentially benefit from paying class 3 national insurance contributions and from home responsibilities protection. These pensioners are being contacted and given the option of whether to pay class 3 national insurance contributions. There are also 771 pensioners identified who could benefit from home responsibilities protection only. So far arrears of £13,650.28 state pension have been paid to nine pensioners who benefited from home responsibilities protection.

State Retirement Pensions: Females

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department plans to extend the right of women to buy retrospective national insurance contributions in order to qualify for a state pension.

Rosie Winterton: The Government have considered a range of options to help individuals who have gaps in their National Insurance contribution records to purchase additional voluntary Class 3 National Insurance contributions. We propose to allow individuals who are eligible to purchase voluntary Class 3 National Insurance contributions to buy an additional six years over and above those permitted under the current time limits. The time limited proposal will apply to those who reach State Pension age between 6 April 2008 and 5 April 2015 and who already have 20 qualifying years (taking into account Home Responsibilities Protection) on their National Insurance record.
	The measure will help people, particularly women and carers, who are approaching State Pension age but have earlier gaps in their National Insurance records to improve their basic State Pension.
	We intend to amend the current Pensions Bill to give effect to the measure.

Winter Fuel Payments

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many winter fuel payments have been made to pensioner households in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The following table shows the number of winter fuel payments made to households for the last five years. Figures for 2007-08 are not yet available but we expect the number to be similar to that for winter 2006-07.
	
		
			  Winter fuel payments made to pensioner households by year 
			   Number 
			 2002-03 11,348,040 
			 2003-04 11,468,240 
			 2004-05 11,401,170 
			 2005-06 11,514,760 
			 2006-07 11,702,900 
			  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.  Source:  Information directorate 100 per cent. data.

Winter Fuel Payments: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how much he expects to pay to pensioner households in York in winter fuel payments in 2008-09;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of households in York which will receive the  (a) £250 and  (b) £400 winter fuel payment in 2008-09.

Rosie Winterton: The information is as follows:
	 PQ/08/230253
	Expenditure on winter fuel payments in the parliamentary constituency of York in 2006-07 was £3.5 million. Expenditure on winter fuel payments in the local authority area in 2006-07 was £6.5 million. Forecasts of benefit expenditure are not produced below national level and it is not possible to derive a forecast for 2008-09 using 2006-07 outturn data because the benefit rates for winter fuel payments have changed for 2008-09 and because adequate caseload data are not available.
	 Source:
	Information directorate 100 per cent. data.
	 PQ/08/230254
	Figures for winter 2007-08 are not yet available.
	In winter 2006-07 we made:
	10,810 winter fuel payments to households in the city of York constituency and 20,820 winter fuel payments to households in York local authority with a member aged 60-79; and
	4,080 winter fuel payments to households in the city of York constituency and 7,340 winter fuel payments to households in York local authority with a member aged 80 or over.
	We expect in 2008-09 similar numbers to receive the £250 and £400 respectively.
	 Notes:
	1. Figures rounded to the nearest ten.
	2. Parliamentary constituencies and local authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.
	3. Please note that a small number of these households receive amounts higher than the usual rate for their age group, where the household includes more than two individuals each entitled to payments at half of the usual household rate.
	 Source:
	Information directorate 100 per cent. data.

Work Permits

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many work permits have been issued in 2008 for shortage occupations.

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	During the period, 1 January 2008 to 15 October 2008, 6,596 work permits were issued to applicants under the Shortage Occupations category.
	The figure quoted is not provided under National Statistics protocols and has been derived from local management information and is therefore provisional and subject to change.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Advertising Standards Agency: Public Appointments

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 15 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1296W, on the Advertising Standards Authority: public appointments, what requirement there is on the Chairman of the Authority to have regard to a balance of political views when making appointments to the Advertising Standards Authority Council.

Andy Burnham: The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) Council operates independently of the Government, and therefore this is a matter for the ASA.

Digital Broadcasting

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made in improving the digital signal for terrestrial television in the UK; and what further steps are planned.

Andy Burnham: Digital signals cannot be increased in power until analogue television services are switched off as unacceptable levels of interference would otherwise occur. The digital signal will be improved over the next four years as digital switchover takes place on a region-by-region basis across the UK, completing in 2012. The process commenced in the Border region where the first switchover has already occurred at Whitehaven in Cumbria. The Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland constituency is in the Tyne-Tees region which is planned to switch in 2012 along with London, the south of England and Northern Ireland.

Digital Broadcasting: North East

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps his Department plans to take to improve the digital signal for terrestrial television in the North East.

Andy Burnham: At present only 80 principal transmitters out of the UK's network of over 1,150 TV transmitters broadcast digital services. This restriction is necessary because at present analogue TV services occupy most of the spectrum allocated to TV broadcasting. When digital switchover occurs two things will happen. Firstly, the power of the digital services from the 80 existing transmitters will be increased significantly, including the main transmitters at Pontop Pike and Bilsdale that serve much of the north-east of England. Secondly, the analogue-only transmitters such as those in my hon. Friend's constituency, at Eston Nab, Guisborough and Skinningrove, will all be converted to broadcast digital signals. Together these two measures will improve reception reliability and extend the reach of the digital TV services to the same proportion of the population that is able to receive analogue television. There are three analogue-only relay transmitters in the Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland constituency, so there will be patches where reception is not very good at present.

Digital Switchover Help Scheme: Borders Region

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 15 September 2008,  Official Report, column 2020W, on the Digital Switchover Help Scheme: Borders Regions, how many people have now been identified as eligible for assistance under the scheme in the area covered by the Selkirk television transmitter and its related relays on the grounds that they are  (a) over 75 years old,  (b) in receipt of (i) disability living allowance, (ii) attendance allowance and (iii) constant attendance allowance and  (c) registered blind or partially sighted; what the overall percentage take-up of eligible people has been to date; and how many people have opted for (A) the default option of Sky, (B) a Freeview digital box, (C) a Freeview playback digital television recorder, (D) a new television with digital built-in, (E) Freesat and (F) Top Up TV.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 22 October 2008
	 : A total of 16,618 people in the area covered by Selkirk television transmitter and its related relays are currently identified as eligible for the switchover help scheme. The total of eligible people has been adjusted in the light of information from Television Licensing, since possession of a TV licence is a condition of eligibility. All potentially eligible people, including those without a TV licence or not yet confirmed to have one, have now been contacted by the help scheme.
	Of those currently eligible,  (a) 10,576 people are eligible on the grounds that they are aged 75 years or over,  (b) 5,804 are under 75 and eligible on grounds that they receive a disability benefit, and  (c) 238 people who do not fit either of these categories are eligible on the grounds that they are registered blind or partially sighted.
	A breakdown of numbers in receipt of each disability allowance is not available as this information is not needed for the purposes of the scheme.
	The number of people who have opted into the help scheme now stands at 2,758 people, or 16.6 per cent. of the eligible total. 7,274 or 43.8 per cent. of the total have responded. Of those that have opted in, 2,178 have made a choice of option and 580 have yet to choose. Of those that have made a choice, 59 per cent. have chosen the standard offer of a Sky satellite system, 39 per cent. have chosen a Freeview terrestrial set top box or upgrade, and the remainder have chosen freesat from ITV and BBC or Top Up TV.

Public Libraries

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent steps the Government has taken to modernise public libraries.

Barbara Follett: holding answer 27 October 2008
	 In 2003 DCMS published Framework for the Future, the Government's 10-year national public library strategy. This provided a broad vision to enable libraries to modernise through promoting reading and learning, enabling access to digital skills and services and encouraging community cohesion and civic values as well as looking for the scope for capacity building. Framework for the Future has been underpinned by work funded through the Museums Libraries and Archives Council (MLA), including the training programme, Leading Modern Public Libraries, and library service peer reviews.
	In the context of framework, on 9 October 2008 my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced that DCMS will undertake a Library Service Modernisation Review to define the Government's vision for a modern, world-class public library service and set out some of the necessary steps to achieve this vision. This review, which is expected to report in the spring of 2009, aims to support local authorities in delivering modernised, responsive and appealing library services for their communities, and to improve performance and increase usage.
	The BIG Lottery Fund £80 million Community Libraries Programme is an investment across England to improve community learning opportunities through libraries. Part of this is offering the types of opportunities that are essential to the delivery of modern library services. These include learning opportunities and activities to attract new library users such as reading groups, writing groups, language classes, family learning activities, art and museum exhibitions, cultural activities, drama, information seminars and health initiatives.

Public Libraries

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent steps the Government has taken to increase use of public libraries.

Barbara Follett: holding answer 27 October 2008
	 On 9 October 2008 my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced that DCMS will undertake a Library Service Modernisation Review to define the Government's vision for a modern, world-class public library service and set out some of the necessary steps to achieve this vision. This review, which is expected to report in the spring of 2009, aims to support local authorities in delivering modernised, responsive and appealing library services for their communities, and to improve performance and increase usage.
	Libraries have played a central role in the Department for Children, Schools and Families funded National Year of Reading, holding a broad range of themed events and activities, and as part of their membership drive signing up over 1 million new members since April 2008.
	There are a significant number of programmes funded by Departments, sponsored organisations and third sector partners which promote the increased use of public libraries: these include Bookstart, Book Ahead, Boys into Books, the Summer Reading Challenge, Booked Up, Fulfilling their Potential and the Vital Link.
	The BIG Lottery Fund's £80 million Community Libraries Programme is an investment across England to improve community learning opportunities through libraries. Part of this is offering the types of opportunities essential to the delivery of modern library services, including, learning activities to attract new library users such as reading groups, writing groups, language classes, family learning activities, art and museum exhibitions, cultural activities, drama, information seminars and health initiatives.

Sport England: Public Appointments

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 14 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1206W, on Sport England: public appointments, how much he expects the re-advertisement of the position of chairman to cost.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 27 October 2008
	 It is expected that the cost of re-advertising the position of chair and advertising the position of deputy chair will be £13,150.

Sports: Finance

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has had from UK sporting organisations on the adoption of a wider list of sports eligible for elite funding.

Andy Burnham: DCMS receives occasional representations from sporting organisations, and from hon. Members on their behalf, requesting that Government funding of elite sport be provided to a broader range of sports, including the sport of lacrosse.
	The primary focus of the finite funding that the Government have available to support high performance sports is to enable our very best Olympic and Paralympic athletes to deliver the ambitious medal goals for London 2012. Funding is therefore concentrated on Olympic and Paralympic sports.

Sports: Learning Disability

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding his Department provided for elite athletes with a learning disability in each year between 1997 and 2001.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 27 October 2008
	 Elite athletes were funded by Sport England from 1997 to 1999 after which it became the responsibility of UK Sport. Between 1999 and 2000 Sport England administered lottery payment operations on behalf of UK Sport and retained the athlete records. The transfer of operations took place during 2000-01.
	Sport England have advised that their records do not identify which athletes had a learning disability and the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	UK Sport provided the following funding for elite athletes with learning disabilities in 2001.
	
		
			  Financial year  Funding (£) 
			 2000-01 22,698 
			 2001-02 84,987

Swimming

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of funding for the Government's free swimming initiative has been allocated to improving access to swimming lessons.

Andy Burnham: Initiatives such as swimming lessons will be funded from the overall package.
	Government are currently working with stakeholders including the Amateur Swimming Association and Sport England on the detailed cost, design and delivery arrangements for such initiatives.

Television

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate his Department has made of the number of households which are unable to receive all five terrestrial television channels as a result of geography or topography.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 23 October 2008
	 At present, approximately 20 per cent. of UK households cannot receive all five analogue terrestrial channels. However, 98.5 per cent. of UK households can receive BBC1 and 2, ITV and Channel 4 analogue services.
	Digital terrestrial coverage allows 73 per cent. of UK households to receive the five services. After digital switchover has been completed, it is expected that 98.5 per cent. of households will receive all of public service television channels.

Television: Licensing

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many households have a free television licence.

Andy Burnham: As my hon. Friend may know, people who are aged 75 or over are entitled to a free Over 75 TV Licence for their home. In the financial year 2007-08 4.003 million free over 75 licences were issued.

Television: Licensing

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many households have a television licence.

Andy Burnham: The following statistics are for licences in force in the UK as at 31 March 2008.
	
		
			  Region  Total licences in force (million) 
			 England 20.574 
			 Northern Ireland 0.635 
			 Scotland 2.195 
			 Wales 1.242 
			 Channel Islands 0.093 
			 Total 24.740 
		
	
	Please note these statistics are approximations of the numbers of licences in force (in total, not just in households) and are not exact. They also do not include licences held by premises which are classed as Accommodation for Residential Care (ARC). This is because a detailed breakdown of ARC or other licences by nation is not held.
	It may also be interesting to note that figures from the Broadcaster's Audience Research Board (BARB) estimate that the percentage of households in the UK which have a television is 98 per cent. More information on BARB can be found on their website at
	http://www.barb.co.uk/.

Veredus

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been paid to Veredus in each of the last five years; and how much has been spent in respect of recruitment to the position of Chairman of Sport England.

Andy Burnham: The release of this information is likely to prejudice commercial interests and therefore cannot be disclosed.

Wines

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what his Department's practice is on supplying non-alcoholic wine as a choice at official receptions or functions.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department supplies good quality soft drinks as an alternative to non-alcoholic wine at official receptions and functions.

TREASURY

Bank Services

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with HM Revenue and Customs about support for taxpayers who have savings in a bank which has required payments from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme with regard to tax instalments falling due on 31 January 2009.

Ian Pearson: Treasury Ministers regularly discuss a wide range of issues with their officials in HMRC and other Departments.
	HMRC currently offers 'time to pay' arrangements to viable businesses facing temporary financial difficulties. These allow outstanding tax to be spread over a period (usually of months) based on what a business can genuinely afford to pay. Interest applies but the rates are competitive compared to commercial lending.
	This approach is designed to ensure otherwise viable businesses are not driven into insolvency by HMRC, both supporting business and in turn maximising tax recovery. Similar "time to pay" arrangements apply to individuals who are not classed as "in business".

Bank Services

Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which companies have been appointed to assist his Department in the preparation of his plans for financial support to the banking industry.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 2008
	The Treasury has taken financial advice from Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank and legal advice from Slaughter and May with regards to implementing the recapitalisation scheme. On matter relating to financial stability, the Treasury also takes advice from the Bank of England and FSA.

Bank Services

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what representations he has received from the government of Iceland on the use of anti-terrorist legislation to seize Icelandic bank assets;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to  (a) improve relations with Iceland and  (b) help that country in its financial difficulties.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 22 October 2008
	The Government are working closely with the Icelandic authorities to resolve issues of mutual interest related to the financial crisis.

Bank Services: Iceland

Ian Cawsey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether all UK charities who had deposits with Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander Bank will have those deposits fully protected by the Government.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 14 October 2008
	 The Government have put in place arrangements to ensure that all FSCS-eligible depositors in the Icelandic banks of Landsbanki, Heritable and Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander will receive their money in full. If a charity is eligible to claim compensation from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, it will be entitled to benefit from these arrangements.

Bank Services: Low Incomes

John Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to ensure that banks support low income households in accessing financial services during the current financial situation.

Ian Pearson: The Government are working closely with banks to ensure that low income households can access a wide range of financial services. In particular, the banks and the Government have agreed a shared goal to halve the number of adults without access to a bank account. Being able to use a bank account continues to be an important factor in whether people can play a full part in society.
	Progress towards this goal has been encouraging, and the Government and banks are working together to ensure that this continues.
	In December 2007 the banks also committed to support third sector affordable credit, including action to develop new provision in 25 high priority areas identified by the Financial Inclusion Taskforce's third sector credit Working Group. Taskforce and Government will continue to work with the banks to build on these commitments.

Banking Services: Small Businesses

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment the Government has made of the likely effect on small businesses of the collapse of Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander Limited.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 16 October 2008
	 The Government have put in place arrangements to ensure that all FSCS-eligible depositors in the Icelandic banks of Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander will receive their money in full. If a small business is eligible to claim compensation from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, it will be entitled to benefit from these arrangements. Those depositors that are ineligible for FSCS compensation will be creditors of the bank in the normal way.

Banking Supervision

Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer from which budgets capital was made available to  (a) support and  (b) invest in banks; what considerations were given to presenting a Bill to put the provision of money to banks on a specific legislative footing; and if he will publish on his Departmental website the minutes of meetings held with chief executives and other senior executives from banks and Treasury Ministers, officials and Financial Services Authority officials since 1 September 2008.

Ian Pearson: This package of measures to support and invest in banks announced on 8 October will be funded through the Government's ordinary borrowing mechanisms, via the central Government debt and cash management operations. We are investing in the banks themselves on commercial terms.
	The Chancellor of the Exchequer, other Treasury Ministers and officials regularly meet with representatives of the banking industry. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Banking Supervision

Michael Ancram: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the likely extent of nationalisation of the British banking system which will be necessary.

Ian Pearson: Both the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made it clear that the Government will do whatever is necessary, whatever is right, to ensure the stability of the financial system. The Chancellor in his statements of 8 October and 13 October detailed the steps taken to ensure financial stability. This package of measures has subsequently been replicated throughout the world.

Banks: Iceland

Tony Baldry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what protection there is under UK banking regulations for the savings of UK citizens deposited in Icelandic banks trading in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Chancellor on 8 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 279-80.

Banks: Iceland

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the current economic situation in Iceland on  (a) UK-owned banks and  (b) banks located in the United Kingdom.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 13 October 2008
	I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Chancellor on 8 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 279-80.

Banks: Iceland

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the Seventeenth Report of the Treasury Committee on Banking Reform, HC 1008, what subjects were discussed during the regular contact between the Icelandic regulator and the Financial Services Authority.

Ian Pearson: The matter raised in this question is the responsibility of the FSA, whose day to day operations are independent from Government control and influence.

Banks: Insolvency

Gary Streeter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects on financial institutions of the tighter insolvency regime introduced by the Financial Services Authority in 2003, with particular reference to Standard Life; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 13 October 2008
	This is a matter for the Financial Services Authority (FSA) as an independent regulator.

Bradford and Bingley

Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Government's estimate is of the cost to the public purse of the nationalisation of Bradford and Bingley.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 13 October 2008
	The Government's objectives in taking Bradford and Bingley into public ownership were to protect depositors and maintain financial stability.
	Payments to protect depositors were largely funded by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), with taxpayers providing £4 billion to cover deposits over £35,000. The Government aim to recoup this payment from the proceeds of the wind-down and realisation of the assets of the remaining business of Bradford and Bingley in public ownership.

Bradford and Bingley: Santander Group

John Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the terms of the agreement were with Santander Abbey over Bradford and Bingley, with particular reference to the balance between cash and other assets covering the retail deposit base.

Ian Pearson: Details of these arrangements are available on the Treasury's website at:
	www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/bradford_bingley_assets_ transfer.htm

Building Societies: Finance

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government has taken to ensure the interests of all building societies are taken into account in the Government's financial strategy during the current economic difficulties.

Ian Pearson: The recapitalisation scheme announced on 8 October provides three measures aimed to help not just UK banks (including foreign subsidiaries) but also UK building societies. The extension of the Special Liquidity Scheme will provide short-term liquidity. The recapitalisation through shares (both ordinary and preference) as well as Permanent Interest Bearing Shares (PIBS), will strengthen institutions' resources, allowing them to restructure their finances while maintaining their support for the real economy. The credit guarantee scheme will ensure that the banking system has the necessary funds in the medium term. This scheme, which is now being replicated worldwide, is available for all UK building societies.

Capital Investment

Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which capital projects he has identified to date as suitable to be fast-tracked during the current economic uncertainty.

Yvette Cooper: The Chancellor of the Exchequer will provide an update on the UK fiscal position at the 2008 pre-Budget report. It will set out how we are supporting the economy in the short-term, while taking the necessary decisions to ensure the public finances remain on a sustainable path in the medium term.

Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the  (a) date and  (b) location was of the last meeting of the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt.

Ian Pearson: The last recorded business meeting of the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt took place on 12 October 1860. The meeting took place at the Offices of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Corporation Tax: Tax Yields

Greg Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of corporation tax receipts, excluding North Sea revenues, in  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) 2009-10.

Angela Eagle: The latest corporation tax receipt forecasts, excluding North sea revenues, were provided in Budget 2008. Updated forecasts will be provided in the forthcoming 2008 pre-Budget report.
	The latest corporation tax receipt figures, including North sea revenues, are available on the latest September 2008 Public Sector Finances press release, which is accessible from:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/psf1008.pdf

Credit Rating

Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will establish an inquiry into the competence of credit rating agencies.

Ian Pearson: The European Commission finished consulting on a EU-wide registration scheme for credit rating agencies on 5 September, and is due to report on the outcome of this consultation on November 12. We are working internationally to improve the incentives for credit rating agencies to supply more and better information that market participants want and to avoid creating undesirable incentives for investors to over-rely on ratings. However, any approach will need to be internationally agreed as far as possible both given the nature of the ratings system as well as to avoid the possibility of regulatory arbitrage.

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

John Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sanctions are available in cases of departmental staff found to have committed disciplinary offences; and how many times each has been used in each of the last three years.

Angela Eagle: The disciplinary procedure for departmental staff permits managers to impose the following range of disciplinary penalties:
	Oral warning;
	Written warning;
	Final written warning;
	Past or future performance payments withheld or withdrawn in whole or part;
	Financial penalty by way of fine or restitution for loss or damage (payments recovered by deduction from pay);
	Ban on promotion for a specified period;
	Suspension or withdrawal of security clearance;
	Suspension for a specified period with or without loss of pay;
	Transfer to a lower pay range for a specified period with appropriate reduction in salary; and
	Dismissal.
	The following penalties were imposed in each of the last three years. The response covers employees of HM Treasury, OGC, OGC Buying Solutions and DMO.
	
		
			  Penalty  Number 
			  2008-09 to date  
			 Written Warning Less than 5 cases 
			   
			  2007-08  
			 Oral Warning Less than 5 cases 
			 Written Warning 8 cases 
			 Dismissal Less than 5 cases 
			   
			  2006-07  
			 Oral Warning Less than 5 cases 
			 Written Warning Less than 5 cases 
			 Final Warning Less than 5 cases 
			 Dismissal Less than 5 cases

Departmental Paper

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of paper used  (a) for photocopying and  (b) in printed publications by his Department was from recycled sources in each of the last two years.

Angela Eagle: All of the paper used for photocopying in the Department in the last two years was made from at least 80 per cent. recycled sources, with over 90 per cent. in the last year from 100 per cent. recycled sources.
	From October 2008, all of the paper purchased for printing and photocopying in HM Treasury group will be from 100 per cent. recycled sources.
	From March 2008 HM Treasury has used paper that is 100 per cent. recycled on all printed publications. Before this, publications were printed on at least 75 per cent. recycled paper.

Departmental Procurement

Margaret Moran: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he plans to take to ease the procedures for tendering and procurement between Government departments and  (a) social enterprises and  (b) small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Angela Eagle: The Government's policy on SMEs and third sector organisations (including social enterprises) is to encourage and support these organisations to compete for public sector contracts where this is consistent with value for money policy, the UK regulations, the EU treaty principles and the EU procurement directives.
	The OGC has developed guidance to help procurers engage with these organisations within the legal and policy framework surrounding public procurement. Budget 2008 asked Anne Glover to lead a committee looking into what further work is needed to remove barriers. The recommendations of that committee will be published in the pre-Budget report.

Departmental Secretarial Staff

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department provides a separate diary secretary to  (a) the Economic Secretary,  (b) the Financial Secretary,  (c) the Exchequer Secretary and  (d) the Minister of State.

Angela Eagle: Diary secretary functions are performed by the staff of the private offices concerned.

Departmental Security

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many security passes have been reported  (a) lost and  (b) stolen by staff in (i) his Department and (ii) agencies sponsored by his Department in each year since 2001.

Angela Eagle: The information requested in respect of the Treasury and the DMO is as follows:
	
		
			  Department  Year  Lost  Stolen  Total 
			 H M Treasury 2001(1) — — — 
			  2002(1) — — — 
			  2003 125 3 128 
			  2004 17 0 17 
			  2005 34 2 36 
			  2006 46 2 48 
			  2007 74 0 74 
			  2008 76 2 78 
			  2001(1) — — — 
			  2002(1) — — — 
			  2003 11 0 11 
			  2004(1) — — — 
			  2005(1) — — — 
			  2006 2 0 0 
			  2007 0 0 0 
			  2008 3 0 3 
			 (1) HM Treasury figures for 2001 and 2002. DMO figures for 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005 are not available, other than at disproportionate cost. 
		
	
	Departmental passes are disabled as soon as they are reported as lost or stolen, and do not contain information that links them to their respective building or organisation.

EU External Trade: Israel

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether European Commission officials have on any occasion launched investigations inside Israel to determine whether Israeli importers are correctly applying the 2005 technical arrangement of the EU-Israel Association Agreement with regard to goods being charged at the correct duty.

Stephen Timms: HM Revenue and Customs are not aware of any investigations having been instigated by the European Commission.

EU External Trade: Israel

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many requests for information have been raised with the Israeli customs authorities to establish whether consignments have been imported from Israel or Israeli settlements under the 2005 technical arrangement of the EU-Israel Association Agreement in each of the last three years.

Stephen Timms: The number of requests for information HM Revenue and Customs have raised with the Israeli authorities is as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 1 February 2005 to 31 January 2006 13 
			 1 February 2006 to31 January 2007 6 
			 1 February 2007 to 31 January 2008 2

EU External Trade: Israel

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many requests for information to the Israeli customs authorities under the 2005 technical arrangement regarding the origin of consignments from Israel or Israeli settlements had not been answered within 10 months, in each of the last three years.

Stephen Timms: The number of HM Revenue and Customs requests for information which have not been answered within 10 months is as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 1 February 2005 to 31 January 2006 10 
			 1 February 2006 to 31 January 2007 2 
			 1 February 2007 to 31 January 2008 0

EU External Trade: Israel

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many requests for information regarding consignments believed to have originated from Israeli settlements have been answered by Israeli customs authorities in each of the last three years; and how many such consignments the Israeli government determined had originated from settlements.

Stephen Timms: HM Revenue and Customs advise as follows:
	1 February 2005 to 31 January 2006—five requests answered (four consignments confirmed as having originated in a Settlement)
	1 February 2006 to 31 January 2007—six requests answered (two consignments confirmed as having originated in a Settlement)
	1 February 2007 to 31 January 2008—two requests answered (neither consignment originated in a Settlement)

EU External Trade: Israel

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure Israeli customs authorities respond to all requests from HM Revenue and Customs made under the 2005 technical arrangement.

Stephen Timms: The Israeli customs authorities are bound by the requirements of Article 33 of Protocol 4 to the EC—Israel Trade Association Agreement to reply to verification requests within 10 months. HM Revenue and Customs pursues responses to outstanding requests via correspondence with the Israeli authorities.

EU External Trade: Israel

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has issued any fines to companies for falsely declaring goods are from Israel when they have originated from illegal Israeli settlements under the 2005 technical arrangement.

Stephen Timms: No fines have been issued.

EU External Trade: Israel

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Israeli customs authorities have provided HM Revenue and Customs with a list of postcodes for Israeli settlements and the corresponding names and addresses of each settlement.

Stephen Timms: A list of postcodes and names of settlements was supplied to the European Commission by the Israeli customs authorities. This list was subsequently passed to all member states.

EU External Trade: Israel

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will put in place procedures to record the import of products from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory separately from those relating to Israel.

Stephen Timms: HM Revenue and Customs already keep records of any imports that are from Israeli Settlements and identified as incorrectly claiming Israeli preferential origin.

Financial Inclusion Team

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what publications his Department's Financial Inclusion Team contributed in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Eagle: HM Treasury's Financial Inclusion Team has published several documents setting out the Government's policy on financial inclusion. The first was 'Promoting Financial Inclusion', in December 2004. In March 2007 HM Treasury published 'Financial Inclusion: The Way Forward' and a 'Review of Christmas Saving Schemes'. The most recent document was 'Financial Inclusion: An Action Plan for 2008-11', published in December 2007, which includes details of how the Government will invest their £130 million Financial Inclusion Fund over the current spending review period.

Financial Inclusion Team

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officials were employed in his Department's Financial Inclusion Team  (a) on a full-time equivalent basis and  (b) on a headcount basis (i) in each of the last 10 years and (ii) at the latest date for which figures are available.

Angela Eagle: HM Treasury has had a Financial Inclusion Team since 2004. The team has included between two and four full-time staff since its inception. As of October 2008 it has three full-time team members.

Government Securities

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the value of  (a) index linked and  (b) conventional gilts planned to be auctioned by the Debt Management Office in each of the next 12 months.

Ian Pearson: The Government's future issuance plans are published in the Debt and Reserves Management Report 2008-09 and were recently revised on 14 October 2008. The Government do not publish estimates for the amounts that will be auctioned in future calendar months.

Housing: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average capital value was of  (a) a pre-1919 terraced house (modernised),  (b) an inter-war semi-detached house (modernised),  (c) a post-1960 semi-detached house,  (d) a post-1960 detached house and  (e) a post-1960 flat in a three (or more) storey block, according to Valuation Office Agency records in (i) the most recent month for which figures are available, (ii) the same month in 2007 and (iii) the same month in 2006 in (A) England and (B) each local authority area or equivalent area that the Agency uses in England.

Stephen Timms: The Valuation Office Agency could provide the information requested only at disproportionate cost.
	The Agency publishes a bi-annual Property Market Report (PMR) which is available on its website www.voa.gov.uk: this includes a section on housing which provides opinions of the capital value of such properties for certain named towns and cities throughout the United Kingdom.

Icesave

Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with Nordic countries on their reciprocal financial compensation scheme and its application to the Icesave online bank.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 13 October 2008
	The Government are working closely with the Icelandic authorities to resolve issues of mutual interest related to the financial crisis, including compensation of depositors in Icesave.

Imports: Israel

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many consignments of Israeli goods entered the UK in each of the last three years.

Stephen Timms: The number of consignments entering the UK in each year since the implementation on 1 February 2005 of the technical arrangement, in which Israeli exporters are bound to indicate the place of production on the proof of origin, are as follows:
	
		
			  1 February to 31 January each year  Number 
			 2005-06 77,086 
			 2006-07 75,631 
			 2007-08 83,225

Imports: Israel

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many targeted physical examinations have been carried out on goods coming into the UK from Israel in the last three years.

Stephen Timms: Information for the whole period is unavailable. However, HM Revenue and Customs undertook a specifically targeted exercise of physical examinations from the end of July until the end of September 2008 to identify potential settlement goods incorrectly described as being of Israeli origin. 26 consignments were examined in that period.

Imports: Occupied Territories

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many consignments of goods entered the UK from the occupied Palestinian territory in each of the last three years.

Stephen Timms: The number of consignments entering the UK in each of the years since the implementation on 1 February 2005 of the technical arrangement, are as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 1 February 2005 to 31 January 2006 3,386 
			 1 February 2006 to 31 January 2007 2,831 
			 1 February 2007 to 31 January 2008 2,445

Inflation

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research his Department has undertaken recently into the effect of incomes restraint on inflation.

Yvette Cooper: The Government regularly monitor developments in public and private sector pay and inflation. Wage pressures are one of the factors considered by the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England when setting interest rates to meet the inflation target.
	The Bank of England considers pay restraint across the economy to be key to maintaining low and stable inflation.

Iraq Conflict: Finance

Keith Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Answer of 21 November 2007,  Official Report, column 918W, on the Iraq conflict, if he will place in the Library a copy of the latest report by his Department into the implications for the Exchequer and the economy of military operations in Iraq.

Yvette Cooper: Details of the costs of military operations in Iraq and their expected impact on the public finances are published annually in the Ministry of Defence's Annual Report and Accounts and in the Department's Parliamentary Supply Estimates.

Landfill Tax: Tax Yields

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the gross revenue from landfill tax in each of the next three years.

Angela Eagle: Forecast landfill tax receipts for 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 are published in Table A11 of the 2008 Budget Report.

Mentally Ill Staff

Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information his Department has gathered on the effect of its policies and practices on the recruitment, development and retention of employees with mental illnesses within  (a) his Department and  (b) the public sector bodies for which he has responsibility; and what use has been made of that information.

Angela Eagle: No specific information has been gathered in regards to employees with mental illnesses. However, the Treasury and other public sector bodies offer confidential staff welfare services, and make reasonable adjustments to any HR policy or process to any employee or applicant with a disability.

Mortgages: Repossession Orders

Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will direct those banks which have received funds from the public purse not to repossess any property in cases where the mortgage holder is unable to keep up payments where the property in question is the mortgage holder's home and solely-owned property.

Ian Pearson: On 8 October this year, the Government announced a comprehensive package of measures to support stability of the financial system, protect ordinary savers, depositors, businesses and borrowers, and to safeguard the interests of the taxpayer.
	As part of their investment, the Government have agreed with the banks supported by the recapitalisation scheme a range of commitments. Details are available at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/press_105_08.htm

Non-domestic Rates: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the Valuation Office Agency's non-domestic rating guidance, RAT IA, as amended to include advice on the smoking ban.

Stephen Timms: A copy of the Valuation Office Agency's Rating Instruction and Advice reference 260106, which was updated to include advice on the Smoking Ban in June 2008, has been placed in the Library.

Non-domestic Rates: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what methodology will be used to calculate the rateable value of  (a) micro wind turbines and  (b) solar or photovoltaic cells, for the 2010 rates revaluation; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the relevant guidance used by the Valuation Office Agency.

Stephen Timms: The method of determining the rateable value for the 2010 revaluation of these items will be by reference to cost as at 1 April 2008 (antecedent valuation date) multiplied by the decapitalisation rate applicable from 1 April 2010. For the 2005 rating lists, wind turbines or solar/voltaic cells operating within the microgeneration rules are treated as excepted plant and machinery and attract no rateable value. This will be applicable up to and including 31 March 2010.
	The SI 2008 No. 2332 came into force on 1 October 2008 and detailed guidance for VOA staff is in preparation. This will be incorporated into the VOA Rating Manual which is available on the VOA website at www.voa.gov.uk. It is anticipated that the guidance will be published by 30 November 2008.

North Sea Oil

Greg Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his most recent estimate is of North Sea revenues in  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) 2009-10.

Angela Eagle: The Government's most recent forecast for North sea revenues can be found in Tables C6 and C7 of the Budget 2008 document. Our next forecast will be published at PBR 2008.

Northern Rock: Mortgages

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many mortgage repossessions Northern Rock has initiated in each month since it was taken into public ownership.

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to the hon. Member for Carmarthen, East and Dinefwr (Adam Price) on 21 July 2008,  Official Report, column 728W.

Overseas Companies: Israel

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether HM Revenue and Customs maintain a list of companies operating in illegal Israeli settlements.

Stephen Timms: While HM Revenue and Customs does not maintain a full list of companies operating in the illegal settlements, it does keep a record of companies whose goods have been identified as originating in a settlement.

Poverty: Children

Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what fiscal measures he and his predecessor introduced in each year since 1997 with the aim of reducing childhood poverty.

Stephen Timms: Since 1997 the Government have introduced a range of measures to make work pay such as tax credits and the national minimum wage, which have increased the minimum income the people can expect on moving into work. As a result of tax and benefit reforms, by October 2008, families with children in the poorest fifth of the population will be on average £4,100 a year better off. The following list outlines those measure that impact exclusively on families with children.
	April 1999—Above indexation increase in child benefit introduced
	October 1999—Working family tax credit introduced
	April 2000—Increase in under-11 working family tax credit child rate
	June 2000—Increase in under-16 working family tax credit child rate
	October 2000—Increase in under-16 child rates in income support and other income relate benefits
	April 2001—Children's tax credit introduced at £520 a year
	June 2001—£5 increase in working family tax credit basic credit
	October 2001—£1.50 increase in income support child credits
	April 2002—Introduction of under one's children's tax credit
	June 2002—Increase in working family tax credit basic credit
	October 2002—Increase in income support/job seeker's allowance child credits
	April 2003—Introduction of new tax credits
	April 2004—Increase in child element of child tax credit by £3.50
	September 2004—Introduction of education maintenance allowance
	April 2005—working family tax credit increase in child care limits to £175/£300 per week
	April 2006—Extension of child benefit and child tax credit to young people in learning.
	April 2006—Percentage of child care costs eligible for support through working tax credit increased from 70 per cent. to 80 per cent.
	April 2008—Earnings uprating of child element of child tax credit extended to 2009-10.
	April 2008—Increase child element of child tax credit by £175 above earnings indexation
	April 2009—Eldest child benefit rate increased to £20 per week
	April 2009—Increase child element of child tax credit by £50 above indexation
	October 2009—Child benefit disregard introduced in housing and council tax benefits
	April 2010—Increase child element of child tax credit by £25 above indexation

Public Works Loan Board

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the value of loans to be made by the Public Works Loan Board in each of the next 12 months.

Angela Eagle: The information requested is available in table C12 of Budget 2008 (HC 388).

Regulation

Ann Winterton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the European Union to change the mark or marking to market rules.

Ian Pearson: The International Accounting Standards Board and the European Commission have acted very expeditiously to introduce the necessary changes already.
	The EU website carries full details of the changes
	http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/accounting/ias_en.htm.
	These are summarised in a press release which can be found at:
	http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1513&fomiat=:HTML&aged=Q&language=EN&guiLanguage-en

Revenue and Customs: North West

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) plans to spend on  (a) maintenance and  (b) upgrading of its offices at (i) St. Helens and (ii) Blackburn in each of the next three years.

Stephen Timms: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC's) offices are occupied under the terms of an estates private finance initiative (PFI) contract. HMRC's estates partner, Mapeley, is responsible for maintenance of the sites to the required contractual accommodation standards.
	HMRC pay a unitary Facility Price to Mapeley in return for fully serviced accommodation. In view of this there is no requirement for HMRC to spend additional sums on the day to day maintenance of the sites; HMRC has no plans to implement any works to upgrade the sites over and above the current contractual agreement.

Seafarers' Earnings Deduction

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to issue revised guidance on eligibility to claim the seafarers' earnings deduction.

Stephen Timms: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 23 October 2008,  Official Report, column 548W to the hon. Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle).

Swimming

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions his Department had with  (a) local authorities,  (b) the Local Government Association and  (c) the Chief Cultural and Leisure Officers' Association before his announcement of free swimming for the over 60s.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 10 September 2008
	I have been asked to reply.
	Before my statement to the House of 17 July in which I set out the details of the Government's free swimming programme, my Department held several discussions with representatives of local authorities, of the Local Government Association and of the Chief Cultural and Leisure Officers' Association.

Welfare Tax Credits

David Gauke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons his Department sends a standard tax credits renewal pack to the next-of-kin of deceased tax credit claimants.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 9 October 2008
	HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) fully recognise the distress that bereavement causes for families.
	When a customer dies HMRC has a statutory obligation to ensure the correct amount of tax credits was paid prior to the death. These cases are dealt with by a dedicated team in the Tax Credits office.
	In these circumstances HMRC send a sensitively worded letter to a personal representative of the deceased explaining why the annual declaration is required.

Welfare Tax Credits

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were in receipt of tax credits at the end of each of the last 10 fiscal years.

Stephen Timms: Estimates of the average number of families benefiting from child and working tax credits are available in the HMRC publications 'Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Finalised Annual Awards', for each relevant year. These publications are available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personaltax-credits/cwto-quarterly-stats.htm
	Child and working tax credits replaced working families' tax credit in April 2003.
	Estimates of the number of recipient families of working families' tax credit are available in the HMRC publications 'Working Families' Tax Credit and Family Credit Statistics. Quarterly Enquiry', for each relevant quarter. These publications are available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/wftctables/index.htm

Welfare Tax Credits: Hertfordshire

Michael Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints related to tax credits his Department has received from customers in  (a) Hertfordshire and  (b) Hemel Hempstead in each year since their inception.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not available at county or constituency level.

Welfare Tax Credits: Overpayments

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how much, on average, his Department clawed back per case of tax credit overpayment in each  (a) month of 2008-09 and  (b) of the last five financial years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how much his Department has recovered in tax credits overpayments in each  (a) month of 2008-09 to date and  (b) year from 2003-04 to 2007-08; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The information which can be provided on the total recovery of overpayments of 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 tax credit awards is contained in Part 2, Table 11 of the Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, in the HM Revenue and Customs 2007-08 Accounts. This is available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/hmrGdep-acct0708.pdf.
	The additional information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

HEALTH

Accident and Emergency Departments: Admissions

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of patients required emergency readmissions within 28 days of emergency admission to hospital in each of the last five years.

Ben Bradshaw: The information is not available in the format requested. The information that is available (from the National Centre for Health Outcomes Development (NCHOD) is provided for three different age groups.
	
		
			  Percentage of emergency readmission to any hospital in England occurring within 28 days of discharge from hospital 
			   Age group 
			   Ages 0-15  Ages 16-74  Ages 75 plus 
			 2006-07 9.08 8.82 13.82 
			 2005-06 8.90 8.51 13.63 
			 2004-05 8.58 8.14 13.05 
			 2003-04 8.25 7.73 12.19 
			 2002-03 8.29 7.39 11.60 
			  Note: Indirectly age, sex, method of admission of discharge spell, diagnosis (ICD 10 chapter/selected sub-chapters within medical specialties) and procedure (OPCS 4 chapter/selected sub-chapters within surgical specialties) standardised rates. Standardised to persons 2002-03.  Source: Compendium of Clinical and Health Indicators/Clinical and Health Outcomes Knowledge Base www.nchod.nhs.uk or www.nchod.nhs.uk released October 2008.

Alcoholic Drinks: Health Education

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on advertising his Department's alcohol strategy through  (a) television,  (b) radio and  (c) print media.

Dawn Primarolo: There has been no spending on television, radio or print media advertising for either the Government's alcohol strategy, "Safe. Sensible. Social—The next steps in the National Alcohol Strategy" or the public consultation on alcohol, "Safe. Sensible. Social—Consultation on further action".

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department took to ensure neutrality in the wording of questions issued to the public in relation to his Department's recent consultation on alcohol strategy; and whether the consultation's content was tested with an independent polling organisation before being issued.

Dawn Primarolo: Prior to being issued, care was taken to ensure that the content of the consultation, including questions issued to the public, was neutral and clearly presented the facts and issues in compliance with the Cabinet Office code of practice on consultations. The consultation is not intended to be an opinion poll.

Alzheimer's Disease

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government has introduced to alleviate the condition of those with Alzheimer's disease.

Phil Hope: The Department's service development guide for older people's mental health services, "Everybody's Business", describes the range of services, which ought to be in place to support people with dementia and their carers.
	In addition, in August 2007, the Government announced work on the development of the first ever National Dementia Strategy and Implementation Plan. A draft strategy was issued for consultation in June 2008, and a final strategy will be published in the near future.
	Copies of both documents have been placed in the Library.

Alzheimer's Disease

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in  (a) the UK,  (b) the North East,  (c) Tees Valley district and  (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in each of the last 10 years.

Phil Hope: The Department does not have data for the number of people diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in the last 10 years. However, for 2006-07 and 2007-08, the General Practitioner Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) has recorded the number of people with a diagnosis of dementia.
	The figures are given in the following table. They are the totals for patients with dementia. Alzheimer's disease accounts for approximately 50-75 per cent. of cases of dementia, so the count of patients with dementia gives an indication of the number with Alzheimer's disease.
	
		
			   Financial year 
			   2007-08  2006-07 
			 Stockton on Tees Teaching PCT(1) 745 737 
			 Middlesbrough PCT 487 524 
			 Redcar and Cleveland PCT 629 575 
			 North East SHA 12,420 12,128 
			 England 220,246 212,794 
			 (1) This PCT was formerly known as North Tees.  Note: We are unable to supply information for all the areas requested, as some are non-health regions. Where this occurs, we have supplied information for the health areas that best fit those requested.

Ambulance Services: Manpower

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many part-time employees work in NHS ambulance service trusts; and what percentage of all employees of these trusts this figure represents.

Ann Keen: The number of part-time employees who work in national health service ambulance trusts and the percentage figure this represents is detailed in the following table:
	
		
			  NHS hospital and community health services: Ambulance staff in England by nature of contract and level as at 30 September 2007 
			  Headcount and percentages 
			   Full-time staff  Part-time staff  Part-time staff as a percentage of total staff 
			 
			  Ambulance Trust 23,829 4,425 16 
			  Professionally qualified clinical staff 15,289 1,624 10 
			 Manager 561 27 5 
			 Emergency Care Practitioner 578 34 6 
			 Ambulance Paramedic 7,411 773 9 
			 Ambulance Technician 6,739 790 10 
			 
			  Support to clinical staff 8,171 2,780 25 
			 Ambulance personnel 3,134 1,243 28 
			 Trainee Ambulance Technician 1,080 67 6 
			 General support 1,414 598 30 
			 Clerical and administrative 2,396 861 26 
			 Estates (maintenance and works) 147 11 7 
			 
			  NHS infrastructure support 369 21 5 
			 Senior manager 47 1 2 
			 Manager 322 20 6 
			 
			  Ambulance staff working in other trusts/PCTs 457 152 25 
			  Professionally qualified clinical staff 110 5 4 
			 Manager 9 1 10 
			 Emergency Care Practitioner 32 2 6 
			 Ambulance Paramedic 55 2 4 
			 Ambulance Technician 14 — n/a 
			 
			  Support to clinical staff 346 146 30 
			 Ambulance personnel 135 25 16 
			 General support 153 88 37 
			 Clerical and administrative 50 33 40 
			 Estates (maintenance and works) 8 — n/a 
			 
			  NHS infrastructure support 1 1 50 
			 Manager 1 1 50 
			 — = Zero. n/a = Not applicable.   Note:  One full-time equivalent is currently defined as 37.5 hours. Anything less than one full-time equivalent is counted as part-time.  Data Quality Workforce statistics are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data. Processing methods and procedures are continually being updated to improve data quality. Where this happens any impact on figures already published will be assessed but unless this is significant at national level they will not be changed. Where there is impact only at detailed or local level this will be footnoted in relevant analyses.   Source: The NHS Information Centre Non Medical Workforce Census.

Asthma: Prescriptions

Robert Wareing: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will add asthma to the list of conditions for which patients should receive free prescriptions; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: As announced in the written ministerial statement to the House on 8 October 2008,  Official Report, column 17WS, Professor Ian Gilmore has been asked to lead a review of prescription charges on how to implement our plans to phase in free prescriptions for those people in England with long term conditions effectively. We expect to publish the findings of this review in summer 2009.

Blood

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs has to undertake bacterial infection in blood trials as part of their comprehensive review of pathogen inactivation for blood products in 2009.

Dawn Primarolo: Information from NHS Blood and Transplant trials including published literature on pathogen inactivation will be discussed as part of the independent Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (SaBTO) review on options to reduce the risk of bacterial infection in blood. SaBTO does not commission research of this type. The Department in conjunction with the UK Blood Services have commissioned relevant research, trials and efficacy studies, which are due to be completed before any intervention is presented to SaBTO for their consideration and subsequently implemented.

Breast Cancer: Ethnic Groups

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when information on incidence and mortality will be collected for people with breast cancer from black, Asian and other minority ethnic backgrounds; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what the timeframe is for evaluating and agreeing models that collect data on prevalence of people with breast cancer from black, Asian and other minority ethnic backgrounds; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Incidence and mortality data are already collected for all patients with cancer, and compiled through the regional cancer registries. The National Cancer Intelligence Network (NCIN) has cross-linked the most recent 10 years of complete data from hospital episode statistics (HES) to cancer registry data, which has enabled ethnicity data from HES to be assigned to cancer registry records. Using this linked repository, the NCIN will publish its first report on cancer incidence and mortality in relation to ethnicity in 2009.
	The NCIN, working with Macmillan and the Thames Cancer Registry, published preliminary figures on cancer prevalence in July 2008 and a full report is due to be published in January 2009. Work to publish figures on prevalence by ethnicity will follow the NCIN report on cancer incidence and mortality in relation to ethnicity.

Breasts: Health Services

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many breast care nurses are working in the NHS.

Ann Keen: It is not possible to supply a figure for the number of nurses there are within the national health service working in breast care as this information is not collected centrally. A break down of nurses by area of work is shown in the following tables.
	
		
			  Table 3a: NHS hospital and community staff: qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff by area of work 1996 to 2007, England as at 30 September each year 
			  Headcount 
			   1996  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 All areas of work 301,253 300,467 304,563 310,142 316,752 330,535 346,537 364,692 375,371 381,257 374,538 376,737 
			 Acute, elderly and general 160,165 159,934 161,980 165,643 170,261 177,904 187,439 201,184 203,358 205,611 204,112 205,601 
			 Paediatric 15,520 15,341 16,266 16,689 16,922 17,640 18,014 18,437 18,917 19,178 18,634 18,923 
			 Maternity 28,916 28,409 29,174 29,258 29,304 29,177 29,524 30,776 32,056 32,072 32,103 32,919 
			 Psychiatry 38,827 39,109 38,141 38,999 39,529 41,539 42,654 44,728 47,390 48,553 48,478 48,499 
			 Learning disabilities 12,105 11,111 10,736 9,923 9,497 9,776 9,550 8,950 8,656 8,824 7,583 7,618 
			 Community services 44,914 45,898 47,601 48,972 50,481 52,401 53,814 57,588 61,559 63,257 62,343 61,997 
			 Education staff 806 665 665 658 758 903 985 1,147 1,346 1,336 1,285 1,180 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3b: NHS HCHS: Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff by area of work 1996 to 2007, England as at 30 September each year 
			  Full-time equivalent 
			   1996  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 All areas of work 248,070 246,011 247,238 250,651 256,276 266,171 279,287 291,925 301,877 307,744 307,447 307,628 
			 Acute, elderly and general 130,996 130,462 131,271 133,981 138,120 144,597 154,057 162,671 166,098 168,759 169,284 168,912 
			 Paediatric 12,591 12,590 13,084 13,383 13,644 13,997 14,546 14,825 15,258 15,412 15,302 15,416 
			 Maternity 23,192 22,776 23,059 22,919 22,776 22,684 23,043 23,758 24,463 24,750 24,961 25,654 
			 Psychiatry 35,444 35,296 34,627 34,974 35,804 36,973 38,176 39,383 41,585 42,529 42,716 42,602 
			 Learning disabilities 10,714 9,883 9,329 8,775 8,398 8,440 8,323 7,824 7,526 7,367 6,767 6,593 
			 Community services 34,399 34,422 35,299 36,058 36,871 38,221 39,302 41,850 44,989 46,917 47,338 47,448 
			 Education staff 733 582 568 562 662 760 819 968 1,140 1,119 1,079 1,004 
			  Notes: 1. Totals may not equal the sum of component parts due to rounding and the inclusion of unclassifiable staff. 2. More accurate validation this year means that in 2006 9,858 duplicate records were identified and removed from the non-medical census. 3. The impact of duplicates on full-time equivalent has been minimal with the removal of 507.

Breasts: Health Services

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many breast cancer patients have no access to a breast care nurse.

Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally. It is for cancer networks to work in partnership with strategic health authorities, national health service trusts and postgraduate deaneries to put in place a sustainable process to assess, plan and review their work force needs. Commissioners should benchmark their local clinical nurse specialist (CNS) provision against similar primary care trusts and take action where the CNS work force is found to be insufficient.

Cancer: Health Services

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what  (a) current and  (b) capital spending took place per capita in relation to cancer treatment and services for (i) England and (ii) each primary care trust within the South West Strategic Health Authority in each financial year from 1997 to 2007.

Ann Keen: Expenditure data on cancer treatment and services by current and capital expenditure are not available.
	Programme budgeting data, available for financial years 2003-04 to 2006-07, show total cancer expenditure at England and primary care trust level for the South West strategic health authority region. These are provided in the following tables.
	
		
			  Gross expenditure per capita on cancers and tumours in England 
			  Financial year  Spend per capita (£) 
			 2003-04 68.85 
			 2004-05 76.73 
			 2005-06 87.50 
			 2006-07 86.23 
			  Note: Figures have been calculated using expenditure figures as published in the Department of Health resource accounts. 
		
	
	
		
			  Expenditure per capita on cancers and tumours by South West region PCT for financial years 2003-04 to 2005-06 
			   Spend per capita (£) 
			  PCT  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 92.11 99.42 97.25 
			 Bristol North 72.51 76.88 87.02 
			 Bristol South and West 94.94 91.59 87.69 
			 Cheltenham and Tewkesbury 81.58 61.80 122.01 
			 Cotswold and Vale 90.97 117.94 105.30 
			 Kennet and North Wilts 68.28 74.81 86.80 
			 North Somerset 71.75 82.51 110.19 
			 South Gloucestershire 72.39 58.8 98.33 
			 South Wiltshire 74.98 90.54 100.02 
			 Swindon 55.97 67.60 74.83 
			 West Gloucestershire 82.95 106.71 104.92 
			 West Wiltshire 56.72 64.88 89.09 
			 Bournemouth 74.97 77.01 88.10 
			 Mendip 59.58 76.58 89.65 
			 North Dorset 67.59 69.98 83.74 
			 Poole 105.71 81.58 87.92 
			 Somerset Coast 64.54 77.27 95.34 
			 South and East Dorset 93.70 89.82 96.30 
			 South Somerset 89.50 98.97 85.31 
			 South West Dorset 69.73 82.09 91.69 
			 Taunton Deane 68.78 90.27 88.93 
			 Central Cornwall 81.95 96.34 110.91 
			 East Devon 87.67 117.02 113.42 
			 Exeter 82.02 59.13 100.82 
			 Mid Devon 71.74 96.82 114.13 
			 North and East Cornwall 67.07 83.77 95.89 
			 North Devon 66.57 74.43 102.02 
			 Plymouth 69.40 75.24 87.25 
			 South Hams and West Devon 79.19 83.98 107.53 
			 Teignbridge 84.71 89.78 100.56 
			 Torbay 91.28 110.18 105.62 
			 West of Cornwall 75.66 83.35 87.94 
			  Notes: 1. With the exception of 2003-04 figures, all figures have been calculated using PCT expenditure on own population. Expenditure figures on PCT's own population are not available for 2003-04, therefore net expenditure values have been used instead. 2. Local population figures used to calculate per capita expenditure have been weighted to account for age, sex and need. 
		
	
	South West strategic health authority PCT data for financial year 2006-07 are presented separately in the following table, as they are not directly comparable due to a PCT reconfiguration in 2006.
	
		
			  Expenditure per capita on cancers and tumours by South West region PCTs for financial year 2006-07 
			  PCT  Spend per capita (£) 
			 Bath and North East Somerset PCT 87.08 
			 Bournemouth and Poole Teaching PCT 116.72 
			 Bristol Teaching PCT 86.87 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT 68.39 
			 Devon PCT 78.71 
			 Dorset PCT 79.12 
			 Gloucestershire PCT 78.55 
			 North Somerset PCT 98.14 
			 Plymouth Teaching PCT 78.65 
			 Somerset PCT 82.62 
			 South Gloucestershire PCT 75.15 
			 Swindon PCT 83.86 
			 Torbay Care Trust 104.01 
			 Wiltshire PCT 79.86 
			  Notes: 1. Figures have been calculated using PCT expenditure on own population. 2. Local population figures have been weighted to account for age, sex and need.

Cancer: Health Services

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cancer networks have been established with NHS support; where each such network is based; and what the size of population covered by each network is.

Ann Keen: The following table lists the 30 current cancer networks, their estimated populations and the location of their central offices, as at 14 January 2008.
	
		
			  Cancer network (location of central office)  Estimated population 
			 Lancashire and South Cumbria (Preston) 1,513,734 
			 Greater Manchester and Cheshire (Manchester) 3,026,670 
			 Merseyside and Cheshire (Birkenhead) 2,013,727 
			 Yorkshire (Harrogate) 2,636,000 
			 Humber and Yorkshire Coast (Hull) 1,053,083 
			 North Trent (Sheffield) 1,772,905 
			 Pan Birmingham (Birmingham) 1,902,118 
			 Arden (Coventry) 989,922 
			 Mid Trent (Nottingham) 1,622,313 
			 Derby/Burton (Derby) 694,250 
			 Leicestershire, Northants and Rutland (Enderby) 1,612,309 
			 Mount Vernon (St. Albans) 1,237,808 
			 West London 1,829,803 
			 North London 1,513,763 
			 North East London 1,535,083 
			 South East London 1,527,993 
			 South West London 1,555,376 
			 Peninsula (Partington) 1,632,990 
			 Dorset (Ferndown) 698,684 
			 Avon, Somerset and Wiltshire (Bristol) 1,879,525 
			 3 Counties (Cheltenham) 1,035,537 
			 Thames Valley (Oxford) 2,328,161 
			 Central South Coast (Southampton) 1,950,651 
			 Surrey, West Sussex and Hampshire (Guildford) 1,193,245 
			 Sussex (Lewes) 1,154,727 
			 Kent and Medway (Aylesford) 1,624,863 
			 Greater Midlands (Wolverhampton) 1,882,323 
			 North of England (Newcastle upon Tyne) 2,995,948 
			 Anglia (Newmarket) 2,667,897 
			 Essex (Colchester) 1,384,217 
			  Source:  National Cancer Intelligence Network.

Cancer: Surgery

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the Government's policy is on the use of Cyberknife robotic radio surgery for cancer patients.

Ann Keen: Cyberknife technology has yet to be evaluated in a United Kingdom clinical setting and so is not currently available as a standard treatment on the national health service.
	It is for local primary care trusts (PCTs) to use the funds allocated to them to meet the health care needs of their local populations. A consultant or clinician may recommend the use of Cyberknife for the treatment of cancer but it would be for the PCT to agree to supply the treatment at NHS expense.

Care Homes: Infectious Diseases

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what data his Department hold on rates of healthcare-associated infections in care homes.

Ann Keen: Information on rates of health care associated infections in care homes is not collected centrally.

Care Homes: Inspections

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nursing homes have been inspected in  (a) South Tyneside,  (b) Tyne and Wear and  (c) England in each year since 2000.

Phil Hope: We are informed by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) that the numbers of nursing homes inspected in South Tyneside and England in each year since 2003-04 are as shown in the table. CSCI does not collect data for Tyne and Wear, which is not a council with adult social services responsibility area.
	Information for the period between 2000 and that shown in the table is not held centrally. CSCI only has inspection records from the time of the establishment of its predecessor, the National Care Standards Commission (NCSC), in 2002. During the first months of NCSC's existence, there was a delay in registering some homes, so complete data for 2002-03 are not available.
	
		
			  Number of nursing homes subject to inspection by CSCI in South Tyneside and England per year 
			  Year ending 31 March  South Tyneside  England 
			 2004 12 4,141 
			 2005 13 4,108 
			 2006 12 4,123 
			 2007 12 4,119 
			 2008 12 4,153 
			  Source: CSCI registration and inspection database, static data cut 2 May 2008.

Care Homes: Inspections

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nursing homes inspected by the Commission for Social Care Inspection in  (a) South Tyneside,  (b) Tyne and Wear and (c) England received a (i) 0 star rating (poor), (ii) 1 star rating (adequate), (iii) 2 star rating (good) and (iv) 3 star rating (excellent) in each year since 2000. [Official Report, 20 November 2008, Vol. 483, c. 5MC.]

Phil Hope: We are informed by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) that it can only provide the information requested from May 2008, when the star rating system was launched.
	The following tables show star ratings for nursing homes in South Tyneside and England. CSCI does not collect data for Tyne and Wear, which is not a council with adult social services responsibility area.
	
		
			  1. Star ratings of nursing homes in South Tyneside 
			  Number of homes 
			   8 May 2008  13 October 2008 
			 0 stars (poor) 1 5 
			 1 star (adequate) 4 4 
			 2 stars (good) 6 2 
			 3 stars (excellent) 1 2 
			 Total 12 13 
		
	
	
		
			  2. Star ratings of nursing homes in England 
			  Number of homes 
			   8 May 2008  13 October 2008 
			 0 stars (poor) 181 131 
			 1 star (adequate) 1,128 1,012 
			 2 stars (good) 2,130 2,306 
			 3 stars (excellent) 548 590 
			 Not yet rated 125 144 
			 Rating suspended 8 10 
			 Total 4,120 4,193 
			  Source: CSCI Registration and Inspection database, 8 May 2008 and  13 October 2008 static cuts.

Childbirth

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines are in place in the NHS for offering  (a) home births and  (b) natural births to expectant mothers.

Ann Keen: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence published intrapartum care guidelines in September 2007, which provide guidance on the information that women should receive on planning the place of birth.
	"Maternity Matters: Choice, Access and Continuity of Care in a Safe Service", which the Department published in April 2007, sets out guidelines on the choices that will be available to expectant mothers. A copy has been placed in the Library.

Community Care: Elderly

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many older people were supported to live at home per 1,000 people in the year to 31 March 2008.

Phil Hope: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care collects and publishes data on the number of people receiving community based care which is either partly or wholly funded by councils with adult social services responsibilities (CASSRs) in England.
	125.6 per 1,000 of the population of people aged 65 and over were receiving community-based care from CASSRs from 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008.
	 Source:
	Provisional data from the P2f pro forma of the Referrals, Assessments and Packages of Care collection. Validated national level data are expected to be available in December 2008.

Community Care: Elderly

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people over the age of 65 years were supported to live at home in  (a) England and  (b) each strategic health authority area in each of the last five years.

Phil Hope: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care collects and publishes data on the number of people receiving community based care which is either partly or wholly funded by councils with adult social services responsibilities (CASSRs). Data are not collected centrally at strategic health authority level.
	Information is shown in the following tables. Table 1 shows the number of people aged 65 and over receiving community-based care from CASSRs at 31 March 2004. Table 2 shows the same data for 31 March 2005 to 2008. Guidance relating to clients receiving services was restated for 2004-05 to only include clients who are assessed by social services and who have a care plan. In previous years, some councils included clients receiving services from grant-funded organisations without a community care assessment. Therefore data for 2004-05 onwards are not comparable with earlier data. Additional clarification was also given on the recording of some types of services. These amendments mainly affect clients receiving community-based services.
	
		
			  Table 1: Total number of clients in England receiving community-based services at 31 March 
			   Number 
			 2004 662,000 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Total number of clients in England receiving community-based services at 31 March 
			   Number 
			 2005 642,000 
			 2006 652,000 
			 2007 647,000 
			 2008 (1)661,000 
			 (1) 2008 figures are provisional. Fully validated data will be available in February 2009.  Notes: 1. The England total is an estimate based on actual figures. 2. Figures are rounded.  Source: RAP proforma P2s

Compulsorily Detained Mental Patients

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many detained mental health patients were absent without leave in each of the last five years.

Phil Hope: This information is not collected by the Department.

Dental Services: Internet

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate he has made of the number of NHS dental practices in England that make use of the internet in providing care.

Ann Keen: This information is not held centrally.

Dental Services: South West

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of dental patients were treated  (a) by the NHS and  (b) privately in (i) England and (ii) each primary care trust within the South West Strategic Health Authority in each financial year from 1997 to 2007.

Ann Keen: Information is not available in the format requested.
	Information on patients treated privately is not collected.
	The number of patients registered with an NHS dentist as a proportion of the population, in England, as at 31 March, 1997 to 2006 is available in annex B of the "NHS Dental Activity and Workforce Report, England: 31 March 2006". Information is provided by primary care trust (PCT) and by strategic health authority (SHA) where appropriate.
	This information is based on the old contractual arrangements which were in place up to and including 31 March 2006. This report, published on 23 August 2006, has already been placed in the Library and is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	http://www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dwfactivity
	Under the new dental contractual arrangements, introduced on 1 April 2006, patients do not have to be registered with an NHS dentist to receive NHS care. The closest equivalent measure to 'registration' is the number of patients receiving NHS dental services ('patients seen') over a 24-month period. However, this is not directly comparable to the registration data for earlier years.
	Information on the number of patients seen by an NHS dentist in England, over the previous 24-month period, as a percentage of the population is available in table C2 of annex 3 of the "NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2006/07" report. Information is available for the 24-month periods ending 31 March, 2006 and 2007. This information is provided by SHA and by PCT.
	This report has already been placed in the Library and is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	http://www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dental0607
	The Dental Services Division (DSD) of the NHS Business Services Authority has recently issued patients seen information at PCT level. However, this was for management purposes. PCTs have recently raised some issues which suggest that the way in which patients are allocated to PCTs across the various quarters needs to be reviewed. This means that sub-national information on patients seen was not included in the "Dental Statistics for England: 2007/08" report, published by the NHS Information Centre on 21 August 2008. The DSD has confirmed that this issue could only have a minimal impact on the national figures. They were therefore labelled as provisional pending the review. An update will be provided in the "Dental Statistics for England: 2008/09 Q1" report in November 2008.

Dispensing Appliance Contractors

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dispensing appliance contractors have been prosecuted for fraudulent use of dispensing licences in the last five years; and how many of those prosecutions related to the wrongful use of multiple licences for financial benefit.

Phil Hope: All cases dealt with by the national health service counter fraud service (CFS) have the potential to result in criminal prosecution. The CFS also seeks civil recovery of losses to the NHS and investigation costs, as well as disciplinary sanctions before the appropriate regulatory or disciplinary body.
	No pharmaceutical appliance contractors have been prosecuted in relation to dispensing or multiple licences in the last five years.

Dispensing Appliance Contractors

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many dispensing appliance contractors dispense appliances above the level of the infrastructure payment cap of 50,000 proposed by his Department; and to how many patients these contractors provide services;
	(2)  how many  (a) industry representatives,  (b) patient groups and  (c) NHS organisations responded to the June 2008 consultation on changes to Part IX of the Drug Tariff; and what plans he has to publish the results of the consultation;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the advantages and disadvantages for dispensing appliance contractors with multiple dispensing licences under  (a) the current on-cost system and  (b) the system of remuneration proposed by his Department in its consultation on the provision of appliances under Part IX of the Drug Tariff;
	(4)  pursuant to the answer of 6 October 2008,  Official Report, column 434W, on incontinence: medical equipment, for what reason it is proposed to cap the infrastructure payment for Part IX-related services at 50,000 prescription items;
	(5)  pursuant to the answer of 6 October 2008,  Official Report, column 434W, on incontinence: medical equipment, how many respondents to his Department's previous consultations on his Department's proposals for provision of stoma and incontinence appliances under Part IX of the Drug Tariff  (a) requested a cap at 50,000 prescription items and  (b) advocated the removal of any cap.

Phil Hope: In addition to a number of proposals relating to payment by way of fees for specific services which patients will receive directly—such as home delivery—the Department's latest consultation "Proposed new arrangement under Part IX for the provision of stoma and urology appliances and related services in primary care" (which has already been placed in the Library) proposed an infrastructure payment which is designed to cover requirements that are not directly linked to dispensing a prescription item for instance, operating within a clinical governance framework. It was proposed that the payment should be banded and capped according to the number of stoma and urology items dispensed on a monthly basis. The highest band was 30,000-50,000 items and two dispensing appliance contractors dispense more than 50,000 prescription items per month. The Department is now analysing responses to the consultation, including views on the proposed cap to the infrastructure payment.
	About 450,000 people use stoma and urology appliances. Under the current arrangements that primary care trusts have with dispensing appliance contractors (DACs) there is no requirement for them to provide patient numbers. However, in responding to the Department's latest proposals some DACs have provided specific numbers in support of their views.
	Responses to the June consultation were received from:
	41 industry representatives
	13 patient groups
	27 NHS organisations
	Control of entry was outside the scope of the June consultation. However, some assessment of the implications of the proposed remuneration system for appliance contractors with multiple dispensing licences has been made in the impact assessment—small firms sections—to illustrate the impact of different licence arrangements on the different possible remunerations (pages 26, 27).
	In the September 2007 consultation, the infrastructure payment cap was set at 35,000 part IX items dispensed per month. This cap was raised to 50,000 items per month in the June 2008 consultation.
	The proposal took account of views expressed by interested parties in response to the September 2007 consultation that:
	the level of infrastructure payment proposed could disrupt ongoing patient care;
	the banded structure for the infrastructure payment would affect individual contractors in a different way, inadvertently favouring some providers over others; and
	the volume cap proposed was too low and disadvantaged companies dispensing a high number of part IX prescription items to an excessive extent.
	Views were sought on the new proposals and the Department is in the process of analysing responses.
	140 responses were received to the September 2007 consultation. Of these:
	none requested a cap of 50,000 prescription items; and
	two respondents advocated the removal of the cap.

Drugs: Rehabilitation

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average duration was of methadone treatment programmes in the latest period for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: The National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse collects data on local services via the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS). The NDTMS does not record the specific substitute drug a drug misuser in treatment is prescribed and while the majority of clients will have received methadone, clients' treatment programmes/regimes may have included buprenorphine and diamorphine.
	The average length of each prescribing intervention in 2007-08 was 338 days.

Health Centres

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations his Department has received from general practitioners requesting a further consultation in respect of proposals to establish polyclinics.

Ann Keen: The Department has run a search of its database, which shows that we have received in excess of 1,000 letters on the subject of Polyclinics. However, due to the way data are collected it is not possible to provide the number of letters received from general practitioners.

Health Professions: Fraud

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people with medical qualifications later discovered to be fake have been employed in a clinical capacity by the NHS since 2000; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: I understand from the General Medical Council that they are aware of four cases of people with medical qualifications later discovered to be fake, who have been employed in a clinical capacity by the national health service since 2000.

Hospital Beds

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of introducing single rooms for all NHS patients.

Ann Keen: Each trust makes an informed choice regarding the appropriate percentage of single room provision based on practical considerations such as site restrictions, affordability as well as clinical and operational limitations. In some cases, providing single rooms for all patients may not be clinically appropriate. Single room accommodation can be introduced through new building or changing existing accommodation and will depend on the environmental and financial situation of the organisation.
	The cost of introducing single rooms for all patients depends on local decisions and an estimate for providing single rooms for all national health service patients cannot be accurately provided. However, an estimate of £22.9 billion (at today's prices) was made by the NHS Estates Agency in 2004 as the cost of providing 100 per cent. single rooms across the NHS excluding mental health accommodation.
	The Department's guidance for the provision of single rooms is that in new hospital developments the aim should be 50 per cent. provision, but should not fall below 20 per cent. and must be a higher percentage than the facilities they are replacing. The policy and design guidance for the provision of single rooms in mental health accommodation is 100 per cent.

Hospitals: Cleaning Services

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish his Department's report on the effectiveness of its deep cleaning exercise conducted in 2007-08.

Ann Keen: The Department's report highlighting good practice examples arising from the deep clean programme will be published shortly.

Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing personal antimicrobial products for hospital patients as a means of combating healthcare-associated infections; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Our strategy 'Clean Safe Care' draws together the measures required to control infections. Generally, normal soap and toiletries are adequate for patients' personal hygiene during their hospital stay. If decolonisation of a patient is necessary, hospitals will provide specialist soap and shampoo.

Incontinence: Medical Equipment

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will increase the additional dispensing fee under Part IX of the Drug Tariff for single line items; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many NHS patients receive intermittent catheters through a home delivery service; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: No decisions have been made regarding the additional dispensing fee, as the Department is still in the process of analysing responses to the consultation entitled 'Proposed New Arrangements Under Part IX of the Drug Tariff for the Provision of Stoma and Urology Appliances—and Related Services—in Primary Care' June 2008, that closed in September 2008. A copy of this consultation has already been placed in the Library.
	About 450,000 people use stoma and urology appliances. Under the current arrangements that primary care trusts have with dispensing appliance contractors (DACs) there is no requirement for them to provide patient numbers. However, in responding to the Department's latest proposals some DACs have provided specific numbers in support of their views.

Influenza: Vaccination

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department plans to spend in the current financial year on  (a) radio advertising to encourage the public to have an influenza vaccination and  (b) fees to Stephen Fry for voicing such radio advertisements.

Dawn Primarolo: The radio media costs of the influenza vaccination campaign in financial year 2008-09 are expected to be £383,000.
	We are unable to provide Stephen Fry's precise fee for the flu immunisation radio campaign. This is because Mr. Fry's fee was specifically negotiated by the Central Office of Information with his agent on behalf of Department, and disclosure would represent a breach of commercial in confidence.
	The total production and playout costs for the three radio advertisements being used for the campaign were £24,900 including Mr. Fry's fee.

Maternity Services

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) consultant-led and  (b) midwife-led maternity units there were in England in each year since 1997 for which figures are available.

Ann Keen: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Leyton and Wanstead (Harry Cohen) on 14 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1176W.

Maternity Services: Manpower

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many maternity care assistants there were in England in each of the last five financial years for which figures are available, broken down by NHS trust.

Ann Keen: We do not collect the number of national health service maternity care assistants centrally. However, the number of unqualified maternity service staff employed in England is detailed in the following table.
	
		
			  NHS hospital and community health services: unqualified maternity service staff in England by strategic health authority area and organisation as at 30 September 
			  headcount 
			   Total unqualified maternity services staff  Nursery nurse  Nursing assistant/  auxiliary  Healthcare assistant  Support worker 
			 England 7,724 440 3,639 2,704 941 
			   
			  North East Strategic Health Authority 355 19 96 176 64 
			 City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust 19 0 1 18 0 
			 County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 39 0 32 7 0 
			 Gateshead Health NHS Trust 23 0 0 23 0 
			 North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust 7 0 0 0 7 
			 Northumbria Health Care NHS Trust 101 0 7 71 23 
			 South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust 74 3 24 16 31 
			 South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust 20 0 20 0 0 
			 The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust 72 16 12 41 3 
			   
			  North West Strategic Health Authority 1,111 61 601 323 126 
			 Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Hospitals NHS Trust 25 0 25 0 0 
			 Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust 45 1 44 0 0 
			 Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust 67 12 21 30 4 
			 Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 61 13 0 47 1 
			 East Cheshire NHS Trust 29 6 21 0 2 
			 East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust 54 3 50 0 1 
			 Halton and St. Helens PCT 1 0 1 0 0 
			 Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 38 2 5 29 2 
			 Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust 120 0 0 93 27 
			 Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust 60 0 60 0 0 
			 North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust 51 2 16 19 14 
			 North Cumbria Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 26 0 7 19 0 
			 Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 108 4 65 30 9 
			 Salford Royal Hospitals NHS Trust 72 7 43 9 13 
			 South Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust 50 0 18 22 10 
			 Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust 28 0 28 0 0 
			 St. Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust 22 2 20 0 0 
			 Stockport NHS Trust 43 2 37 4 0 
			 Tameside and Glossop Acute Services NHS Trust 40 0 35 0 5 
			 The Mid Cheshire Hospital NHS Trust 35 6 6 21 2 
			 The Wirral Hospital NHS Trust 82 1 56 0 25 
			 Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust 11 0 8 0 3 
			 Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust 43 0 35 0 8 
			   
			  Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority 763 32 428 230 73 
			 Airedale NHS Trust 32 0 10 22 0 
			 Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 17 0 6 11 0 
			 Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 46 0 16 27 3 
			 Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust 59 1 53 0 5 
			 Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Trust 22 1 20 1 0 
			 Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust 14 1 8 5 0 
			 Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 83 0 63 0 20 
			 Kirklees PCT 3 2 1 0 0 
			 Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 98 7 1 78 12 
			 Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 98 8 71 0 19 
			 Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Trust 70 0 18 52 0 
			 Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Health Care NHS Trust 20 0 9 11 0 
			 Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 119 5 108 0 6 
			 The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust 44 2 34 0 8 
			 York Hospitals NHS Trust 38 5 10 23 0 
			   
			  East Midlands Strategic Health Authority 590 11 329 128 122 
			 Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 28 0 28 0 0 
			 Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 75 0 0 45 30 
			 Kettering General Hospital NHS Trust 58 0 12 17 29 
			 Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust 64 2 0 35 27 
			 Nottingham City PCT 1 0 0 0 1 
			 Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust 73 0 56 17 0 
			 Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust 49 0 48 0 1 
			 The United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust 76 0 56 14 6 
			 University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust 166 9 129 0 28 
			   
			  West Midlands Strategic Health Authority 803 70 338 311 84 
			 Birmingham East and North PCT 1 1 0 0 0 
			 Birmingham Women's Healthcare NHS Trust 113 0 113 0 0 
			 Burton Hospitals NHS Trust 48 0 0 35 13 
			 Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust 49 5 1 28 15 
			 Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust 103 6 97 0 0 
			 Hereford Hospitals NHS Trust 22 3 16 0 3 
			 Mid Staffordshire General Hospitals NHS Trust 24 1 0 9 14 
			 Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust 44 6 27 11 0 
			 Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust 67 0 18 32 17 
			 South Warwickshire General Hospitals NHS Trust 23 7 16 0 0 
			 The George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust 22 0 19 0 3 
			 The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust 41 0 29 0 12 
			 University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust 71 5 1 65 0 
			 University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust 65 13 0 48 4 
			 Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust 39 5 1 33 0 
			 Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 71 18 0 50 3 
			   
			  East of England Strategic Health Authority 870 71 449 282 68 
			 Basildon and Thurrock General Hospital NHS Trust 76 6 15 52 3 
			 Bedford Hospital NHS Trust 35 1 33 0 1 
			 Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 63 5 6 52 0 
			 Cambridgeshire PCT 9 3 0 0 6 
			 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust 63 0 63 0 0 
			 Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust 43 0 43 0 0 
			 Hinchingbrooke Healthcare NHS Trust 28 0 28 0 0 
			 Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust 62 14 1 35 12 
			 James Paget Healthcare NHS Trust 45 6 39 0 0 
			 Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Trust 72 3 7 53 9 
			 Luton PCT 10 0 10 0 0 
			 Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust 41 0 5 0 36 
			 Norfolk and Norwich Health Care NHS Trust 50 5 45 0 0 
			 Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 39 24 14 0 1 
			 Southend Hospital NHS Trust 31 0 0 31 0 
			 The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust 67 0 67 0 0 
			 The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn NHS Trust 45 4 41 0 0 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust 63 0 4 59 0 
			 West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 28 0 28 0 0 
			   
			  London Strategic Health Authority 1,147 53 523 496 75 
			 Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust 70 0 21 49 0 
			 Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 67 2 65 0 0 
			 Barts and the London NHS Trust 24 0 24 0 0 
			 Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust 15 0 0 13 2 
			 Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare NHS Trust 52 4 0 36 12 
			 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust 14 2 3 9 0 
			 Epsom and St. Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust 63 7 45 4 7 
			 Guys and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust 74 0 63 11 0 
			 Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust 61 0 56 0 5 
			 Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust 56 0 15 41 0 
			 Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 44 2 5 27 10 
			 King's College Hospital NHS Trust 42 0 0 42 0 
			 Kingston Hospital NHS Trust 62 16 4 37 5 
			 Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust 33 3 30 0 0 
			 Newham University Hospital NHS Trust 77 0 73 0 4 
			 North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 24 3 0 3 18 
			 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 26 0 3 23 0 
			 Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust 29 0 2 26 1 
			 Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust 34 4 0 26 4 
			 Royal Free Harripstead NHS Trust 23 2 9 12 0 
			 St George's Healthcare NHS Trust 48 0 48 0 0 
			 St Mary's NHS Trust 39 0 0 35 4 
			 The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust 28 0 8 20 0 
			 The Whittington Hospital NHS Trust 37 4 8 25 . 
			 University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 44 4 1 37 2 
			 West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 20 0 0 20 0 
			 Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust 41 0 40 0 1 
			   
			  South East Coast Strategic Health Authority 659 42 291 141 185 
			 Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust 54 4 33 5 12 
			 Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust 79 0 30 49 0 
			 Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust 26 0 0 20 6 
			 East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust 93 0 0 6 87 
			 East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust 50 2 42 0 6 
			 Frimley Park Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 59 0 0 3 56 
			 Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust 74 13 22 35 4 
			 Medway NHS Trust 58 0 58 0 0 
			 Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Trust 48 21 26 1 0 
			 Royal West Sussex NHS Trust 30 0 6 22 2 
			 Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust 52 2 41 0 9 
			 Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust 36 0 33 0 3 
			   
			  South Central Strategic Health Authority 659 38 202 399 20 
			 Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust 64 0 7 57 0 
			 Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Trust 40 5 0 35 0 
			 Isle of Wight Healthcare PCT 39 9 20 8 2 
			 Milton Keynes General Hospital NHS Trust 43 0 24 7 12 
			 North Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust 31 3 1 26 1 
			 Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust 124 0 0 123 1 
			 Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust 91 0 91 0 0 
			 Royal Berkshire and Battle Hospitals NHS Trust 95 0 0 95 0 
			 Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust 98 21 40 33 4 
			 Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust 34 0 19 15 0 
			   
			  South West Strategic Health Authority 767 43 382 218 124 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT 10 0 10 0 0 
			 Devon PCT 13 0 0 13 0 
			 East Somerset NHS Trust 23 9 1 13 0 
			 Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 59 0 45 14 0 
			 Gloucestershire PCT 12 0 9 0 3 
			 North Bristol NHS Trust 50 0 0 41 9 
			 North Devon Healthcare NHS Trust 21 0 21 0 0 
			 Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust 60 3 0 57 0 
			 Poole Hospital NHS Trust 64 10 54 0 0 
			 Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 11 0 11 0 0 
			 Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust 48 0 0 37 11 
			 Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust 23 0 23 0 0 
			 Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust 11 11 0 0 0 
			 Salisbury Health Care NHS Trust 3 0 3 0 0 
			 South Devon Healthcare NHS Trust 27 0 22 5 0 
			 Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust 16 0 16 0 0 
			 Taunton and Somerset NHS Trust 71 2 0 38 31 
			 United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust 149 8 71 0 70 
			 West Dorset General Hospitals NHS Trust 29 0 29 0 0 
			 Weston Area Health NHS Trust 10 0 10 0 0 
			 Wiltshire PCT 57 0 57 0 0 
			  Data quality: Workforce statistics are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data. Processing methods and procedures are continually being updated to improve data quality. Where this happens any impact on figures already published will be assessed but unless this is significant at national level they will not be changed. Where there is impact only at detailed or local level this will be footnoted in relevant analyses.  Source: The NHS Information Centre Non Medical Workforce Census

Midwives: Finance

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration he has given to providing support for participants who commenced re-training under the Return to Practice Programme for midwives in the financial years 2006-07 and 2007-08; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Strategic health authorities (SHAs) are responsible for allocating resources from education and training funding to support local initiatives such as return to practice programmes for professional staff. The Department has provided support and funding to SHAs for a programme of work, to deliver expansion in midwifery capacity, as announced in February. This includes supporting midwives through return to practice, where this is part of the local recruitment programme.
	SHAs are managing return to practice programmes locally and have been allocated £1.5 million in 2008 or £3,000 per midwife. The £3,000 is an approximate cost per midwife to provide free training, and to support costs such as for childcare and travel.

Midwives: Manpower

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many midwives were employed in the NHS in  (a) Bolton and  (b) England in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Ann Keen: The number of national health service midwives employed in Bolton and England in each of the last five years is detailed in the following table.
	
		
			  NHS hospital and community health services: Qualified midwifery staff in England, the North West Strategic Health Authority area and the Royal Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust as at 30 September each specified year 
			  Headcount 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007( 1) 
			  England  
			 Qualified maternity services staff 30,776 32,056 32,072 32,103 32,919 
			  O f which :  
			 Qualified midwives 23,941 24,844 24,808 24,469 25,093 
			   
			  North West Strategic Health Authority area  
			 Qualified maternity services staff 4,919 5,174 5,055 5,164 5,069 
			  O f which :  
			 Qualified midwives 3,798 4,049 3,876 3,949 4,001 
			   
			  Royal Bolton Hospitals Foundation Trust  
			 Qualified maternity services staff 243 237 238 229 230 
			  O f which :  
			 Qualified midwives 192 185 189 183 165 
			 (1 )Qualified midwife figures have fallen in the trust due to data cleansing within the maternity services area of work. As a result of this, a number of nurse managers have now been correctly coded.  Note: Data quality Workforce statistics are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data. Processing methods and procedures are continually being updated to improve data quality. Where this happens any impact on figures already published will be assessed but unless this is significant at national level they will not be changed. Where there is impact only at detailed or local level this will be footnoted in relevant analyses.  Source:  The NHS Information Centre Non Medical Workforce Census.

Midwives: Manpower

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many community midwives were employed in each strategic health authority region in  (a) 1997,  (b) 2002 and  (c) 2007.

Ann Keen: The information requested on community midwives cannot be supplied as it is not collected centrally. The following table details the total number of midwives employed in each strategic health authority for the three years requested.
	
		
			  NHS hospital and community health services: Qualified midwives in England by Strategic Health Authority area as at 30 September each specified year 
			  H eadcount 
			   1997  2002  2007 
			  England 22,385 23,249 25,093 
			 
			 North East Strategic Health Authority area 1,224 1,241 1,288 
			 North West Strategic Health Authority area 3,864 3,833 4,010 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority area 2,393 2,321 2,449 
			 East Midlands Strategic Health Authority area 1,591 1,697 1,745 
			 West Midlands Strategic Health Authority area 2,619 2,625 2,861 
			 East of England Strategic Health Authority area 1,942 2,159 2,407 
			 London Strategic Health Authority area 3,370 3,601 4,407 
			 South East Coast Strategic Health Authority area 1,431 1,680 1,820 
			 South Central Strategic Health Authority area 1,647 1,734 1,677 
			 South West Strategic Health Authority area 2,304 2,358 2,429 
			  Source:  The Information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census 
		
	
	
		
			  NHS hospital and community health services: Qualified midwives in England by Strategic Health Authority area as at 30 September each specified year 
			  Full- time equivalent 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			  England 18,053 18,168 17,876 17,662 18,048 18,119 18,444 18,854 18,949 18,862 19,298 
			 
			 North East Strategic Health Authority area 1,008 944 898 901 1,043 993 989 1,018 1,011 1,003 1,025 
			 North West Strategic Health Authority area 3,160 3,044 3,035 2,994 3,068 3,069 3,049 3,252 3,094 3,138 3,111 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority area 1,973 1,962 1,832 1,845 1,867 1,909 1,948 2,025 2,047 1,906 1,942 
			 East Midlands Strategic Health Authority area 1,292 1,355 1,384 1,386 1,389 1,307 1,331 1,315 1,310 1,294 1,322 
			 West Midlands Strategic Health Authority area 2,111 2,240 2,172 2,103 2,088 2,091 2,170 2,180 2,123 2,092 2,171 
			 East of England Strategic Health Authority area 1,517 1,600 1,620 1,612 1,538 .1,630 1,646 1,644 1,725 1,742 1,806 
			 London Strategic Health Authority area 2,809 2,777 2,789 2,673 2,813 2,812 3,026 3,040 3,326 3,442 3,499 
			 South East Coast Strategic Health Authority area 1,085 1,131 1,063 1,108 1,188 1,264 1,254 1,312 1,320 1,325 1,382 
			 South Central Strategic Health Authority area 1,280 1,308 1,252 1,239 1,244 1,258 1,228 1,248 1,187 1,145 1,255 
			 South West Strategic Health Authority area 1,818 1,807 1,832 1,801 1,809 1,785 1,802 1,821 1,806 1,774 1,786 
			  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest whole number.  Source: The information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census.

Midwives: Redundancy

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS midwives have received redundancy notices in  (a) Peterborough,  (b) Cambridge and  (c) England in the last two years.

Ann Keen: There have been no compulsory redundancies for national health service midwives in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire in the last two years. The total number of NHS midwives to receive compulsory redundancy notices in the last two years in England is listed in the following table:
	
		
			  Period  Total number of compulsory redundancies for midwives  Total number of compulsory redundancies (all groups) 
			 2006-07 7 2,330 
			 2007-08 1 2,223

Multiple Sclerosis: Drugs

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he made of the effectiveness of the risk sharing scheme for the provision of multiple sclerosis disease modifying drugs; what value for money assessment he has made of the risk sharing scheme since its inception; when he will make available the full ScHARR report, including Annex C, as requested by the Health Select Committee in 2007; what the cost of the scheme has been since its inception; what the cost of  (a) providing Avonex, Beteferon, Copaxone and Rebif and  (b) the administration of the scheme by the MS Trust has been; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The risk-sharing scheme for disease modifying drugs for multiple sclerosis is a unique UK-wide programme set up to allow access to treatment through the national health service in a cost-effective manner. Over 5,000 patients are routinely monitored to assess their progress on treatment and it is estimated that, overall, some 10,000 patients are being treated with these drugs. The first two-year analysis of scheme data has been undertaken and it is planned to publish the results in a peer-reviewed medical journal. The independent Scientific Advisory Group, which advises the study, is considering how to modify the scheme in time for the next two-year analysis due in 2009. We hope then to determine reliably whether the drugs at current prices represent value for money for the NHS. The Health Select Committee was sent, in confidence, a full copy of the report from Sheffield's School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR) earlier this year.
	We estimate that the costs incurred since the scheme's inception are in the order of £300 million. This figure is made up of £200,000 a year representing the Department's 20 per cent. share of running the contract; an average £35,000 a year to meet the Multiple Sclerosis Trust's administration costs for the scheme and drug costs of around £50 million a year.

NHS: Manpower

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were employed in the National Health Service in 2007, expressed on  (a) headcount and  (b) full-time equivalent basis.

Ann Keen: The number of people employed in the national health service in 2007 is given in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of people 
			 Total employed staff in 2007 1,331,109 
			 Total employed staff in 2007 (full-time equivalent) 1,089,436

NHS: Pensions

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was paid  (a) by (i) employees and (ii) employers into and  (b) to those receiving pensions payments from the National Health Service Pension Scheme in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: The information requested for England and Wales is given in the following table.
	
		
			  £ 000 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Total pensions paid to members and dependants 3,031,811 3,207,040 3,412,532 3,777,414 4,294,797 
			 Employer contributions 1,632,536 3,588,337 3,890,167 4,301,122 4,579,685 
			 Employee contributions (including added years) 1,509,710 1,645,090 1,818,140 1,995,282 2,127,235 
			 Total contributions paid 3,142,246 5,233,427 5,708,307 6,296,404 6,706,920 
			  Note:  Total pensions paid to members and dependants includes pensions and lump sums paid to members, and pensions paid to widows and dependants together with death gratuities.  Source: NHS Pensions

NHS: Pensions

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many part-time employees of NHS ambulance service trusts and their predecessors who were excluded from the NHS pension scheme before 1999 were women;
	(2)  how many part-time employees of NHS ambulance service trusts and their predecessors were not included in the NHS pension scheme in each year prior to 1999 for which figures are available.

Ann Keen: The information requested is not collected centrally.

NHS: Pensions

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are in place for part-time NHS employees to buy back foregone pension contributions; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Individuals who had been excluded from membership of the scheme prior to 1 April 1991 and wishing to make a claim were required to do so through an employment tribunal. Under employment tribunal rules claims had to be made while still working for that employer or within six months of the end of the employment relationship. Those successful in this process pay the contributions that are due to the scheme for the excluded period and their membership for this period is reinstated.

NHS: Pensions

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what pension entitlements are provided to  (a) full-time and  (b) part-time employees of NHS ambulance service trusts.

Ann Keen: The NHS Pension Scheme is a final salary pension scheme, which offers a defined package of benefits to scheme members in accordance with the scheme regulations. NHS ambulance staff, like other national health service employees enjoy a benefit package which includes:
	index linked retirement benefits
	life assurance and family benefits
	redundancy benefits
	ill health retirement benefits
	The aforementioned benefits are subject to the scheme member meeting relevant qualifying criteria set out in the scheme regulations. Full-time and part-time staff have the same benefits. The membership of part time staff is scaled according to the hours worked.

NHS: Wards

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether  (a) his Department's officials and  (b) NHS officials have been instructed to review the cost to the public purse of providing more single rooms within the NHS estate since 27 September 2008.

Ann Keen: In October 2008 the Department's officials reported a capital cost estimate of about £9.51 billion (at Quarter 1 2008 prices) for providing 45,000 more single rooms, £211,401 per bed, while maintaining the existing bed capacity of the national health service estate. This costing was based on standard NHS costing methodologies.
	NHS organisations make decisions locally based on practical considerations such as site restrictions, affordability as well as clinical and operational limitations. Any national estimate must therefore make assumptions regarding the methods likely to be used for providing more single rooms and the likely cost effects of such methods.
	NHS officials have not been instructed by the Department to review the cost to the public purse of providing more single rooms within the NHS estate.

Nurses

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 16 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1466W, on nurses, 
	(1)  when his Department last issued guidance on the modern matrons programme; and if he will place in the Library a copy of that guidance;
	(2)  what steps his Department has taken to ensure  (a) a consistent definition of the role of and  (b) consistent training for modern matrons across each NHS trust.

Ann Keen: "A Matron's Charter: An action plan for cleaner hospitals" was published in October 2004. The document has already been placed in the Library.
	The definition of modern matrons was provided in the "NHS Plan" and detailed guidance was given in Health Service Circular 2001/010 "Implementing the NHS Plan: Modern Matrons: strengthening the role of ward sisters and introducing senior sisters". Education and training of modern matrons is the responsibility of their employers in light of local priorities and local assessment of training needs.

Osteoporosis

Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to improve the performance of healthcare professionals in the early diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis.

Phil Hope: A directed enhanced service (DES) for osteoporosis has been agreed for 2008-09 and 2009-10, which will encourage general practices to diagnose and prescribe appropriate secondary prevention for patients with osteoporosis. This will help improve patient care by ensuring that specific patient groups are managed appropriately and in accordance with existing guidance published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).
	Additionally, as part of the prevention package for older people, we intend to establish an expert group, who will develop a commissioning framework, which will help the national health service better provide services for falls, fractures and osteoporosis. The Department has started the process of engagement with key stakeholders from the NHS, social care and the third and private sector to develop the detail of the package, which it expects to publish by March 2009.
	The Department will also continue to review the evidence and opportunity for improved services in this area.

Perinatal Mortality

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of stillbirths.

Ann Keen: The Department is committed to improving the outcomes for babies and therefore supports the Confidential Enquiry for Maternal and Child Health (CEMACH). CEMACH published their report "Perinatal Mortality 2006—England Wales and Northern Ireland", in May 2008 and found a continuing decline in the overall neonatal mortality rate and in the stillbirth, perinatal and neonatal mortality rates in multiple pregnancies. This report has already been placed in the Library.
	The Department has also introduced a new maternity indicator to measure the percentage of women who have seen a midwife or a maternity health care professional for a health and social care assessment of needs, risk and choices by 12 completed weeks of pregnancy. This will improve early access to maternity care and outcomes for mothers and babies as risks will be identified early and an individualised plan of care developed.

Pregnant Women: Medical Treatments

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when and for what reason the decision was taken to withdraw diethylstilboestrol as a treatment for pregnant women;
	(2)  what research conducted overseas on the long-term effects of taking diethylstilboestrol on  (a) women and  (b) their children his Department has evaluated;
	(3)  what steps his Department has taken to identify and locate  (a) women who were prescribed diethylstilboestrol and  (b) the children of such women.

Ann Keen: Diethylstilboestrol (DES) is an oestrogenic hormone formerly used in the treatment of threatened miscarriage.
	In 1953 a large clinical trial in the United States showed no beneficial effect of DES on pregnancy outcome. In 1973, the UK's Committee on Safety of Medicine (CSM) (now the Commission on Human Medicines) considered data from a US study that identified an association between the development of clear-cell adenocarcinoma of the vagina/cervix in the daughters of women exposed to DES during pregnancy. On the basis of the lack of benefit and evidence of harm the CSM wrote to all doctors in the UK with the recommendation that DES should no longer be used in pregnancy.
	The Department is aware of several overseas studies, including a number in the United States (where diethystilboestrol was used extensively), which have investigated the long-term effects of diethystilboestrol on women who took it during pregnancy. A large ongoing study conducted by the National Institute of Cancer in the United States is investigating the risks of DES to children who were exposed in utero. The Department has not formally evaluated these studies.
	The Department has in the past sought advice on this issue from the Advisory Committee for Cervical Screening. On the basis of this advice, the Department is of the view that a public education campaign would not be helpful. Many of the women at risk are not aware they or their mothers received DES. Proactively campaigning to find these women would create further anxiety.

Sepsis

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of sepsis were recorded in England in each year since 2005.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available.
	Although the Health Protection Agency collects information on blood stream infections these data do not provide a complete picture as sepsis is a clinical condition caused by a range of bacteria that are manifest as localised infections as well as blood stream infections.

Social Services

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 16 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1468W, on social services, what assessment he has made of the likely financial situation of organisations responsible for adult social care provision in each year from 2012 to 2041 for which figures are available.

Phil Hope: The projected funding gap for 2012 to 2041, which was published in "Care Support Independence: The Case for Change" (a copy of which has been placed in the Library) was calculated for illustrative purposes only and no assessment of the current financial situation on the funding gap has been made. The wider issue of the reform of the care and support system is being considered in the Green Paper, due to be published next year.

Social Services

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 21 October 2008,  Official Report, column 321W, on social services, how the personal expenses allowance is calculated; and what the average weekly allowance for care home residents was in the last period for which figures are available.

Phil Hope: The requirement for an allowance for expenditure on personal items for those living in residential care settings has its origins in section 22(4) of the National Assistance Act 1948. The National Assistance (Charges for Accommodation) Regulations 1948 set the sum for personal requirements at five shillings per week. These Regulations came into force on 5 July 1948. Due to the passage of time, it has not proved possible to establish the reasons that the level set was felt to be appropriate. Contemporary papers and reports are not available.
	The Department now uprates the personal expenses allowance (PEA) annually on the basis of the increase in average earnings. The 2008-09 rate of PEA is £21.15 per week. This took effect on 7 April 2008.

Social Workers: Manpower

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many social workers per 100,000 residents there were in  (a) Chesterfield,  (b) Derbyshire and  (c) England in each year since 1997.

Ann Keen: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care collect and publish data relating to the number of social workers directly employed by social services departments within councils with social services responsibilities.
	Data are not collected centrally for the Chesterfield parliamentary constituency.
	The following table shows that data for the number of whole-time equivalent social workers per 100,000 head of population for Derbyshire and England as of the 30 September each year from 1997 to 2007.
	Data for 2008 are expected to be published in spring 2009.
	
		
			   England  Derbyshire 
			 1997 71.4 62.2 
			 1998 72.1 59.6 
			 1999 73.1 62.1 
			 2000 75.0 70.0 
			 2001(1) 76.4 67.7 
			 2002(1) 78.2 72.5 
			 2003 81.1 74.2 
			 2004 82.1 78.9 
			 2005 83.9 78.5 
			 2006 86.5 78.0 
			 2007 87.6 76.2 
			  Notes:  1. Figures are the sum of rounded numbers.  Source:  SSDS00l

Trauma: Children

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 16 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1469W, on trauma: children, what proportion of  (a) psychological trauma cases and  (b) medical trauma cases classified by serious or critical bodily (i) injury, (ii) wound and (iii) shock involved children in the latest period for which figures are available.

Ann Keen: The information requested is not available. Hospital episode statistics (HES) do not have classifications by the wide terms of trauma classified as psychological, medical, injury, wound or shock. HES can provide data based on the International Classification of Diseases and related Health Problems tenth Revision (ICD10) diagnoses codes. HES can also provide data on procedures or interventions performed on the patient while in hospital, these would be based on the Office of National Statistics Classification of Interventions and Procedures codings. Information on the diagnosis codes can be found at:
	http://www.hesonline.org.uk/Ease/servlet/ContentServer? siteID=1937&categoryID=214

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate Change

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what progress has been made on the commitments undertaken at the meetings of the Major Economies Process on Energy Security and Climate Change in Washington, USA and Honolulu, Hawaii; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The meetings referred to were focused around an exchange of views rather than specific commitments. The process bought together leaders of major economies for the first time to discuss the energy security and climate change agenda. Their expression of strong commitment to and support for achieving a global agreement on climate change in 2009 within the UN process has added valuable momentum to the ongoing debate.

Energy Bill 2007-08

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what representations he has received on the powers of entry provisions in the Energy Bill relating to carbon dioxide inspectors.

Mike O'Brien: I have not previously had any representations on the powers of entry provisions of carbon dioxide storage inspectors in the Energy Bill. However, during the House of Commons Energy Bill debate on 21 February 2008, the hon. Member for Wealden (Charles Hendry),  Official  Report, column 180, raised this issue, seeking clarification of the sanctions provided in the Bill for people who have deliberately obstructed inspectors in their work and the then Energy Minister reassured the hon. Member that the sanctions were adequate.

Industrial Diseases: Compensation

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many  (a) former miners and  (b) former miners' families in Scotland have received compensation payments from the Coal Miners' Compensation Scheme, broken down by constituency.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 13 October 2008
	The number of former miners and former miners' families in Scotland, broken down by constituency, who have received Coal Health Compensation payments for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Vibration White Finger as at 5 October 2008 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  COPD claims that have received a damages payment reported by Scottish Constituency, as at 5 October 2008 
			   Total claims  Live claims  Deceased claims 
			  Constituency  Claims registered  Claims that have received a damages payment  Claims registered  Claims that have received a damages payment  Claims registered  Claims that have received a damages payment 
			 Aberdeen Central Burgh Con 33 27 23 19 10 8 
			 Aberdeen North Burgh Con 30 24 19 15 11 9 
			 Aberdeen South Burgh Con 31 20 19 11 12 9 
			 Airdrie and Shotts Burgh Con 3,789 2,436 875 661 2,914 1,775 
			 Angus Co Con 37 27 24 17 13 10 
			 Argyll and Bute Co Con 176 120 91 69 85 51 
			 Ayr Co Con 1,345 933 600 472 745 461 
			 Banff and Buchan Co Con 67 49 42 31 25 18 
			 Caithness, Sutherl'd, Easter Ross Co Con 64 38 26 19 38 19 
			 Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley Co Con 6,544 4,692 2,915 2,346 3,629 2,346 
			 Central Fife Co Con 3,333 2,313 1,333 1,061 2,000 1,252 
			 Clydebank and Milngavie Co Con 37 23 17 11 20 12 
			 Clydesdale Co Con 2,566 1,699 637 490 1,929 1,209 
			 Coatbridge and Chryston Burgh Con 1,419 893 405 313 1,014 580 
			 Cumbernauld and Kilsyth Co Con 1,052 703 290 229 762 474 
			 Cunninghame North Co Con 117 82 58 41 59 41 
			 Cunninghame South Co Con 461 282 163 130 298 152 
			 Dumbarton Co Con 46 33 24 18 22 15 
			 Dumfries Co Con 130 98 82 67 48 31 
			 Dundee East Burgh Con 43 31 19 15 24 16 
			 Dundee West Burgh Con 36 29 17 14 19 15 
			 Dunfermline East Co Con 5,253 3,759 1,885 1,513 3,368 2,246 
			 Dunfermline West Co Con 2,750 1,975 1,223 970 1,527 1,005 
			 East Kilbride Co Con 127 77 60 42 67 35 
			 East Lothian Co Con 2,793 1,935 1,021 793 1,772 1,142 
			 Eastwood Co Con 39 20 24 13 15 7 
			 Edinburgh Central Burgh Con 142 109 70 55 72 54 
			 Edinburgh East and Musselburgh Burgh Con 814 550 315 237 499 313 
			 Edinburgh North and Leith Burgh Con 129 88 55 38 74 50 
			 Edinburgh Pentlands Burgh Con 95 67 53 38 42 29 
			 Edinburgh South Burgh Con 441 311 164 123 277 188 
			 Edinburgh West Burgh Con 130 87 57 45 73 42 
			 Falkirk East Co Con 1,194 801 412 294 782 507 
			 Falkirk West Co Con 619 373 196 137 423 236 
			 Galloway and Upper Nithsdale Co Con 799 586 357 291 442 295 
			 Glasgow Anniesland Burgh Con 55 28 18 13 37 15 
			 Glasgow Baillieston Burgh Con 241 131 46 32 195 99 
			 Glasgow Cathcart Burgh Con 48 25 16 11 32 14 
			 Glasgow Govan Burgh Con 30 13 13 7 17 6 
			 Glasgow Kelvin Burgh Con 47 32 17 14 30 18 
			 Glasgow Maryhill Burgh Con 111 67 43 24 68 43 
			 Glasgow Pollok Burgh Con 38 16 15 8 23 8 
			 Glasgow Rutherglen Burgh Con 307 179 53 38 254 141 
			 Glasgow Shettleston Burgh Con 125 77 45 29 80 48 
			 Glasgow Springburn Burgh Con 140 79 46 26 94 53 
			 Gordon Co Con 41 34 33 28 8 6 
			 Greenock and Inverclyde Co Con 16 6 6 2 10 4 
			 Hamilton North and Bellshill Burgh Con 1,585 980 276 179 1,309 801 
			 Hamilton South Burgh Con 1,461 944 267 199 1,194 745 
			 Inverness East, Nairn/Lochaber Co Con 89 64 54 40 35 24 
			 Kilmarnock and Loudoun Co Con 618 410 222 176 396 234 
			 Kirkcaldy Co Con 2,630 1,823 1,071 872 1,559 951 
			 Linlithgow Co Con 3,413 2,381 964 745 2,449 1,636 
			 Livingston Co Con 1,005 691 344 260 661 431 
			 Midlothian Co Con 4,613 3,222 1,945 1,535 2,668 1,687 
			 Moray Co Con 57 35 32 20 25 15 
			 Motherwell and Wishaw Burgh Con 946 566 208 149 738 417 
			 North East Fife Co Con 155 104 68 57 87 47 
			 North Tayside Co Con 63 51 33 27 30 24 
			 Ochil Co Con 3,080 2,150 1,268 1,021 1,812 1,129 
			 Orkney and Shetland Co Con 15 10 13 9 2 1 
			 Paisley North Burgh Con 43 27 18 14 25 13 
			 Paisley South Burgh Con 40 28 13 9 27 19 
			 Perth Co Con 104 70 59 43 45 27 
			 Ross, Skye and Inverness West Co Con 77 53 55 40 22 13 
			 Roxburgh and Berwickshire Co Con 112 77 58 46 54 31 
			 Stirling Co Con 1,116 704 372 278 744 426 
			 Strathkelvin and Bearsden Co Con 699 469 218 169 481 300 
			 Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale Co Con 522 375 293 232 229 143 
			 West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine Co Con 58 33 32 21 26 12 
			 West Renfrewshire Co Con 34 24 16 11 18 13 
			 Western Isles Co Con 18 12 15 10 3 2 
			 Total 60,433 41,280 21,836 17,032 38,597 24,248 
			  Note: Claims that have received a damages payment includes both claims settled by payment and outstanding claims which have received an interim payment.

Industrial Diseases: Compensation

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many miners' compensation claims remain unsettled in Scotland, broken down by constituency.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 13 October 2008
	The number of miners' Coal Health Compensation claims that remain unsettled in Scotland, broken down by constituency, for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Vibration White Finger, as at 5 October 2008, is shown in the following tables.
	
		
			  Headline COPD Statistics reported by Scottish constituency, as at 5 October 2008 
			  Constituency  Claims registered  Claims settled  Claims outstanding 
			 Aberdeen Central Burgh Con 33 33 0 
			 Aberdeen North Burgh Con 30 30 0 
			 Aberdeen South Burgh Con 31 29 2 
			 Airdrie and Shotts Burgh Con 3,789 3,298 491 
			 Angus Co Con 37 35 2 
			 Argyll and Bute Co Con 176 161 15 
			 Ayr Co Con 1,345 1,202 143 
			 Banff and Buchan Co Con 67 62 5 
			 Caithness, Sutherl'd, Easter Ross Co Con 64 57 7 
			 Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley Co Con 6,544 5,849 695 
			 Central Fife Co Con 3,333 2,936 397 
			 Clydebank and Milngavie Co Con 37 33 4 
			 Clydesdale Co Con 2,566 2,240 326 
			 Coatbridge and Chryston Burgh Con 1,419 1,181 238 
			 Cumbernauld and Kilsyth Co Con 1,052 922 130 
			 Cunninghame North Co Con 117 104 13 
			 Cunninghame South Co Con 461 414 47 
			 Dumbarton Co Con 46 42 4 
			 Dumfries Co Con 130 118 12 
			 Dundee East Burgh Con 43 40 3 
			 Dundee West Burgh Con 36 35 1 
			 Dunfermline East Co Con 5,253 4,726 527 
			 Dunfermline West Co Con 2,750 2,435 315 
			 East Kilbride Co Con 127 111 16 
			 East Lothian Co Con 2,793 2,464 329 
			 Eastwood Co Con 39 32 7 
			 Edinburgh Central Burgh Con 142 132 10 
			 Edinburgh East and Musselburgh Burgh Con 814 718 96 
			 Edinburgh North and Leith Burgh Con 129 121 8 
			 Edinburgh Pentlands Burgh Con 95 86 9 
			 Edinburgh South Burgh Con 441 382 59 
			 Edinburgh West Burgh Con 130 118 12 
			 Falkirk East Co Con 1,194 1,031 163 
			 Falkirk West Co Con 619 534 85 
			 Galloway and Upper Nithsdale Co Con 799 718 81 
			 Glasgow Anniesland Burgh Con 55 45 10 
			 Glasgow Baillieston Burgh Con 241 211 30 
			 Glasgow Cathcart Burgh Con 48 44 4 
			 Glasgow Govan Burgh Con 30 27 3 
			 Glasgow Kelvin Burgh Con 47 44 3 
			 Glasgow Maryhill Burgh Con 111 97 14 
			 Glasgow Pollok Burgh Con 38 33 5 
			 Glasgow Rutherglen Burgh Con 307 264 43 
			 Glasgow Shettleston Burgh Con 125 107 18 
			 Glasgow Springburn Burgh Con 140 117 23 
			 Gordon Co Con 41 39 2 
			 Greenock and Inverclyde Co Con 16 13 3 
			 Hamilton North and Bellshill Burgh Con 1,585 1,364 221 
			 Hamilton South Burgh Con 1,461 1,280 181 
			 Inverness East, Nairn/Lochaber Co Con 89 83 6 
			 Kilmarnock and Loudoun Co Con 618 547 71 
			 Kirkcaldy Co Con 2,630 2,315 315 
			 Linlithgow Co Con 3,413 3,007 406 
			 Livingston Co Con 1,005 907 98 
			 Midlothian Co Con 4,613 4,066 547 
			 Moray Co Con 57 51 6 
			 Motherwell and Wishaw Burgh Con 946 814 132 
			 North East Fife Co Con 155 140 15 
			 North Tayside Co Con 63 59 4 
			 Ochil Co Con 3,080 2,682 398 
			 Orkney and Shetland Co Con 15 12 3 
			 Paisley North Burgh Con 43 37 6 
			 Paisley South Burgh Con 40 35 5 
			 Perth Co Con 104 92 12 
			 Ross, Skye and Inverness West Co Con 77 70 7 
			 Roxburgh and Berwickshire Co Con 112 102 10 
			 Stirling Co Con 1,116 951 165 
			 Strathkelvin and Bearsden Co Con 699 610 89 
			 Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale Co Con 522 465 57 
			 West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine Co Con 58 50 8 
			 West Renfrewshire Co Con 34 33 1 
			 Western Isles Co Con 18 15 3 
			 Total 60,433 53,257 7,176 
			  Note: Claims settled includes claims settled by payment, denial/withdrawal or claims struck out. 
		
	
	
		
			  Constituency  Claims registered  Claims settled  Claims outstanding 
			 Aberdeen Central Burgh Con 4 4 0 
			 Aberdeen North Burgh Con 5 5 0 
			 Aberdeen South Burgh Con 7 7 0 
			 Airdrie and Shotts Burgh Con 237 233 4 
			 Angus Co Con 5 5 0 
			 Argyll and Bute Co Con 13 12 1 
			 Ayr Co Con 298 297 1 
			 Banff and Buchan Co Con 6 6 0 
			 Caithness, Sutherl'd, Easter Ross Co Con 8 8 0 
			 Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley Co Con 2,426 2,395 31 
			 Central Fife Co Con 524 519 5 
			 Clydebank and Milngavie Co Con 3 3 0 
			 Clydesdale Co Con 178 177 1 
			 Coatbridge and Chryston Burgh Con 247 243 4 
			 Cumbernauld and Kilsyth Co Con 118 115 3 
			 Cunninghame North Co Con 14 14 0 
			 Cunninghame South Co Con 22 21 1 
			 Dumbarton Co Con 1 1 0 
			 Dumfries Co Con 18 17 1 
			 Dundee East Burgh Con 5 5 0 
			 Dundee West Burgh Con 1 1 0 
			 Dunfermline East Co Con 1,142 1,131 11 
			 Dunfermline West Co Con 1,035 1,020 15 
			 East Kilbride Co Con 6 6 0 
			 East Lothian Co Con 736 730 6 
			 Eastwood Co Con 2 2 0 
			 Edinburgh Central Burgh Con 16 16 0 
			 Edinburgh East and Musselburgh Burgh Con 135 135 0 
			 Edinburgh North and Leith Burgh Con 25 24 1 
			 Edinburgh Pentlands Burgh Con 13 13 0 
			 Edinburgh South Burgh Con 93 93 0 
			 Edinburgh West Burgh Con 14 14 0 
			 Falkirk East Co Con 171 169 2 
			 Falkirk West Co Con 54 54 0 
			 Galloway and Upper Nithsdale Co Con 212 210 2 
			 Glasgow Anniesland Burgh Con 1 1 0 
			 Glasgow Baillieston Burgh Con 15 15 0 
			 Glasgow Cathcart Burgh Con 3 3 0 
			 Glasgow Govan Burgh Con 3 3 0 
			 Glasgow Kelvin Burgh Con 3 3 0 
			 Glasgow Maryhill Burgh Con 11 11 0 
			 Glasgow Rutherglen Burgh Con 12 12 0 
			 Glasgow Shettleston Burgh Con 9 9 0 
			 Glasgow Springburn Burgh Con 10 10 0 
			 Gordon Co Con 8 8 0 
			 Greenock and Inverclyde Co Con 2 2 0 
			 Hamilton North and Bellshill Burgh Con 82 82 0 
			 Hamilton South Burgh Con 77 75 2 
			 Inverness East, Nairn/Lochaber Co Con 8 8 0 
			 Kilmarnock and Loudoun Co Con 57 55 2 
			 Kirkcaldy Co Con 462 457 5 
			 Linlithgow Co Con 374 372 2 
			 Livingston Co Con 85 83 2 
			 Midlothian Co Con 1,657 1,645 12 
			 Moray Co Con 10 10 0 
			 Motherwell and Wishaw Burgh Con 38 38 0 
			 North East Fife Co Con 13 13 0 
			 North Tayside Co Con 3 3 0 
			 Ochil Co Con 808 802 6 
			 Orkney and Shetland Co Con 2 2 0 
			 Paisley North Burgh Con 4 4 0 
			 Paisley South Burgh Con 2 2 0 
			 Perth Co Con 9 9 0 
			 Ross, Skye and Inverness West Co Con 11 11 0 
			 Roxburgh and Berwickshire Co Con 32 31 1 
			 Stirling Co Con 196 193 3 
			 Strathkelvin and Bearsden Co Con 99 96 3 
			 Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale Co Con 154 152 2 
			 West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine Co Con 8 8 0 
			 West Renfrewshire Co Con 4 4 0 
			 Western Isles Co Con 4 4 0 
			 Total 12,070 11,941 129 
			  Note: Claims settled includes claims settled by payment, denial or withdrawal.

Nuclear Power Stations

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the availability of UK labour to build the next generation of nuclear power stations.

Mike O'Brien: The Nuclear White Paper, published in January 2008, provides an assessment of the availability of skilled workers in the UK to build a new programme of nuclear power stations. Government believe that a programme of new nuclear power station construction in the UK has the potential to create many thousands of UK jobs. However there will be challenges in meeting the need for skilled workers, and Government are working with industry to meet the expected high levels of demand for trained staff, including work with Cogent, the National Skills Academy for Nuclear and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Departmental Recruitment

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many civil servants in his Department were recruited through the fast stream; and what the average salary of those officials is.

Ivan Lewis: The Department for International Development has 180 current civil servants who were recruited through the fast stream. The average current annual salary for those individuals is £37,688.

Departmental Temporary Employment

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which companies were used by his Department for providing temporary staff in each of the last five years; and what the value of contracts with each such company was in each of those years.

Ivan Lewis: Since 2005 the Department for International Development (DFID) has predominantly used only three agency suppliers: Margaret Hodge, Josephine Sammons and Manpower for temporary staff. DFID also has delegated authority to appoint professional and specialist staff from specialist suppliers, and in these cases the costs are not registered centrally.
	A management fee is included in the salary costs for each person supplied by the three agencies, but it is not possible to disaggregate the management fees from the total amount charged by the agencies or to apportion the total amount paid without incurring disproportionate costs.
	The following table shows the total costs paid in the last three financial years to the three suppliers managed centrally. Figures for earlier financial years are not available.
	
		
			  Financial year  Total amount paid (£) 
			 2005-06 1,226,530 
			 2006-07 1,113,890 
			 2007-08 783,955

Sri Lanka: Health Services

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the number of people in the north of Sri Lanka who do not have access to healthcare and water as a result of the recent hostilities between the government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam since July 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) estimates that between 200,000 and 250,000 people are currently displaced in the north of Sri Lanka in an area known as the Vanni. This population is concentrated in an area to the east of Kilinochchi, living in very difficult conditions and almost entirely dependent on humanitarian supplies. The delays in sending humanitarian convoys and safety along the route from Vavunia are major concerns, and there is no permanent UN or NGO presence in the Vanni.
	For this reason it is difficult to estimate accurately the numbers without access to health care and clean water. However, local hospitals have reported high numbers of cases of diarrhoea and other water borne diseases which would reflect poor access to clean water. Most displaced persons are reduced to defecating in the open due to lack of sanitation. There is generally access to immediate food supplies, but lack of shelter for at least 50,000 people is becoming an increasing concern with the monsoon season approaching. The situation remains very difficult and we continue to press for increased humanitarian access.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Departmental Marketing

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment he has made of the cost effectiveness of Government-commissioned advertising in the last 12 months relating to matters falling within the remit of his Department.

Tom Watson: Information is not held centrally on the effectiveness of individual advertising campaigns commissioned by the Cabinet Office and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The Cabinet Office encourages effective evaluation of all advertising and works closely with the Central Office of Information, who make available useful advertising evaluation techniques to its clients.

Departmental Mass Media

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the cost of media monitoring for  (a) the Prime Minister,  (b) the No 10 Downing Street office and  (c) the Cabinet Office was in each of the last 10 years; and how many full-time equivalent staff carried out such work.

Philip Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the cost to the public purse was of media monitoring activities carried out by  (a) the Central Office of Information,  (b) his Department and  (c) the Prime Minister's Office in each of the last five years.

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the running costs of the Media Monitoring Unit were in 2007-08.

Tom Watson: I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 20 March 2008,  Official Report, column 1302W.
	The cost of the Media Monitoring Unit in 2007-08 is accounted for in the Central Office of Information's annual report and accounts 2007-08 which were laid before Parliament on 16 July 2008.

Departmental Security

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many departmental identity cards or passes have been reported lost or stolen by staff of  (a) the Cabinet Office and  (b) the Central Office of Information in the last 24 months.

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many security passes have been reported  (a) lost and  (b) stolen by staff in (i) the Cabinet Office, (ii) its agency and (iii) the Prime Minister's Office in each year since 2001.

Liam Byrne: In the last 24 months 51 Cabinet Office passes have been reported lost and 19 reported stolen. The Central Office of Information (COI) does not hold records prior to April 2007. However, since April 2007 132 COI passes have been reported lost or stolen.
	In respect of the Prime Minister's Office I refer the hon. and right hon. Members to the answer given to the right hon. Member for Horsham (Mr. Maude) on 18 June 2008,  Official Report, column 919W.

Departmental Training

David Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much the Prime Minister's Office spent on external training courses for staff in  (a) 2005,  (b) 2006,  (c) 2007 and  (d) 2008; and which external organisations were paid by the Department to provide such courses in each year.

Tom Watson: The Prime Minister's Office forms part of the Cabinet Office. For details of costs of training, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 7 October 2008,  Official Report, column 559W. Details of the individual organisations used for external training are not held centrally.

Foreign Workers: Greater London

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many non-UK nationals worked in London in each of the last 10 years.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated October 2008:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many non-UK nationals worked in London in each of the last 10 years. I am replying in her absence. (229381)
	The estimates are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The requested information is provided in the attached table based on those people aged 16 and over in employment who reported that their place of work is within the government office region of London.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. A guide to the quality of the estimates is provided in the attached table.
	The estimates in the table are derived from the LFS microdata which are weighted using the official population estimates published in autumn 2007. They are not entirely consistent with the figures published in the monthly Labour Market Statistics First Release which are weighted using more up-to-date population estimates.
	
		
			  Non-UK nationals aged 16 and over in employment in London( 1) : three months ending June, 1999 to 2008—not seasonally adjusted 
			  T housand 
			   Non-UK nationals 
			 1999 471 
			 2000 523 
			 2001 606 
			 2002 624 
			 2003 647 
			 2004 687 
			 2005 694 
			 2006 765 
			 2007 800 
			 2008(2) 875 
			 (1) Those people in employment who reported that their place of work is in the Government Office Region of London. (1) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates, as described as follows:  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220.  Key Coefficient of Variation (CV) (%) Statistical Robustness * 0 = CV < 5 Estimates are considered precise. ** 5 = CV < 10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise. *** 10 = CV < 20 Estimates are considered acceptable. **** CV 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes.  Note: It should be noted that the aforementioned estimates exclude people in most types of communal establishment (e.g. hotels, boarding houses, hostels, mobile home sites etc.)  Source: Labour Force Survey

Media Monitoring Unit: Manpower

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many full-time equivalent employees are employed to work in the Cabinet Office's Media Monitoring Unit.

Tom Watson: The Media Monitoring Unit (MMU) is part of the Central Office of Information (COI). The number of employees will be accounted for in COI's annual report and accounts 2007-08 which were laid before Parliament on 16 July 2008.

Mentally Ill Staff

Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information his Department has gathered on the effect of its policies and practices on the recruitment, development and retention of employees with mental illnesses within  (a) his Department and  (b) the public sector bodies for which he has responsibility; and what use has been made of that information.

Tom Watson: The Department's Single Equality Scheme sets out how the Cabinet Office is meeting its Disability Equality Duty, monitoring and reporting on progress. The Department collects and analyses work force data on the impact its recruitment and management systems have on disabled applicants and employees and uses these to ensure those systems are fairly applied.
	The public sector bodies sponsored by the Department that are subject to these requirements are responsible for publishing and implementing their own disability equality schemes.

Stress

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what arrangements his Department has in place to assist officials to overcome the effects of stress experienced in the workplace.

Tom Watson: The Cabinet Office is committed to the well-being of its employees and has a number of procedures in place including a framework, based on the Health and Safety Executive's management standards available to all employees.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Alcoholic Drinks: Prices

Lembit �pik: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the effect on local licensed premises of sales of low-cost alcohol in supermarkets; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: None. The prices an enterprise charges for its products is a commercial matter for the enterprise concerned. Enterprises such as restaurants, pubs and clubs selling alcohol products for consumption on their premises are likely to have different cost bases and business models to off licences, shops and supermarkets that sell alcohol for home consumption. Such differences are likely to be reflected in the prices charged to customers. The interests of consumers are best protected by ensuring there is effective competition between different enterprises seeking to attract customers.

Departmental Pensions

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many civil servants working in his Department and its agencies have pensions with a cash equivalent transfer value of over 1 million.

Patrick McFadden: It is not appropriate to disclose pension information for civil servants other than board members whose details are shown in the Remuneration Report in the Annual Report and Accounts. A copy of the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) Annual Report and Accounts for financial year 2007-08, and those of its agencies, the Insolvency Service (INSS) and ACAS, can be found in the Library.
	Alternatively they can be accessed electronically using the following links:
	 BERR
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file47094.pdf
	 INSS
	http://www.insolvency.gov.uk/pdfs/guidanceleafletspdf/InsolvencyReport0708.pdf
	 ACAS
	http://www.acas.org.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=919p=0

Energy Supply: Natural Gas

John Spellar: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many days' supply of gas the UK has storage capacity for; and what proposals his Department has to increase this.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	National Grid has stated in its Winter Energy Outlook, published on 2 October 2008, that the UK has the following assumed storage capacities and deliverability levels for 2008-09:
	4.2 days (at full rate) of short range storage from LNG (liquefied natural gas) delivering 49 million cubic meters per day (mcm/d);
	18.5 days (weighted average duration) of medium range storage delivering 49 mcm/d;
	78.1 days (at full rate) of long range storage from the former Rough field in the North sea delivering 42 mcm/d.
	Existing gas storage capacity is some 4.5 bcm (billion cubic metres). National Grid also indicated in their 10 year statement 2007, that a further 0.6 bcm is under construction and 5.4 bcm is proposed for the early years of the next decade. Reforming the onshore and offshore consents regimes through the Planning and Energy Bills respectively is intended to facilitate the development of new projects.

Fireworks: Safety

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent discussions he has had with firework manufacturers on safety.

Gareth Thomas: I have not met representatives of the fireworks industry recently, but my officials are in regular contact with involved parties.

Havering

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many employees of his Department work in the London Borough of Havering.

Patrick McFadden: There are no BERR HQ staff working in the London borough of Havering.

National Grid: Standards

John Penrose: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 15 September 2008,  Official Report, column 2128W, on the National Grid: standards, if he will  (a) publish the National Grid's full report and  (b) provide an explanation of the third drop in system frequency of 27 May 2008.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	A full report into the loss of electricity supply is expected to be published before the end of 2008. National Grid is making good progress in establishing the cause of the incident and the consequential effects, and I expect the report to cover each stage of the frequency drop including the third stage.

Overseas Trade

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent discussions have taken place between his Department and non-EU European countries to encourage trade between the UK and those countries.

Gareth Thomas: Bilateral contacts between BERR and non-EU European countries take place through various fora in support of the Department's key objective of delivering free and fair markets, with greater competition, for businesses, consumers and employees.
	In particular, UKTI officials in London and in posts have held discussions with a number of these countries to enhance bilateral trade relationships and address barriers to trade, and we have provided technical assistance to EU applicant countries to support their work on integration and alignment with the body of EU law. Since Russia and Turkey are considered High Growth markets under UKTI's five year strategy, specific strategies exist to strengthen contact with the respective governments on trade access issues and to inform UK business of opportunities in these markets. For example, my noble Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform is currently undertaking an official visit to Russia between 26 and 29 October.
	BERR officials also participate in the relevant EU trade policy fora to encourage and support the development of rules to maintain competition, promote competitive business environments in the UK and EU and achieve closer integration of these countries into the wider European economy.
	These include participation in the EU enlargement negotiations with Croatia and Turkey (and the precursor Stabilisation and Association Agreements with the Western Balkan Countries), discussions with European Free Trade Agreement members, and discussions with Russia and the Ukraine on the Free Trade Agreements and EU Neighbourhood Policy.

Post Offices: Milton Keynes

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when a decision on the future of the Conniburrow and Fishermead post office branches in Milton Keynes will be made.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 27 October 2008
	This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, managing director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member.
	Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Saudi Arabia

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent steps the Government has taken to promote business relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the British construction industry.

Gareth Thomas: The UK Government's trade promotion department, UK Trade and Investment is currently researching possible opportunities for UK construction companies in the Saudi market. The final report of this research will be made available to the UK construction sector once completed.

Small Firms' Loan Guarantee

John Leech: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  how much money has been guaranteed by the Government under the Small Firms' Loan Guarantee in each year since 2003;
	(2)  how many businesses have received assistance from the Small Firms' Loan Guarantee in each year since 2003.

Patrick McFadden: The value and volume of lending under the Government's Small Firms Loan Guarantee for each financial year from 2003 is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Financial year  Value of lending ()  Number of loans 
			 2003-04 409,261,000 5,957 
			 2004-05 481,324,000 7,130 
			 2005-06 422,065,000 5,956 
			 2006-07 236,405,212 3,019 
			 2007-08 206,759,347 2,619

Street Trading

Christopher Chope: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  if he will publish the interim report of the Street Trading and Pedlar Review commissioned by his Department from Durham University;
	(2)  when he expects the final report of the Street Trading and Pedlar Review commissioned by his Department from Durham University to be made available to hon. Members.

Gareth Thomas: holding answer 23 October 2008
	BERR does not intend to publish the interim report of the Street Trading and Pedlary Review. The primary purpose of the interim report is to allow Government and the researchers to take stock of the project, consider any procedural issues and identify any gaps in the evidence before the final report is compiled. Policy decisions will not be made based on the interim report and it was always intended to be for BERR internal use only.
	The final report of the Street Trading and Pedlary Review is due to be submitted by Durham university later this autumn. Following this my ministerial colleagues and I will consider its findings. We hope to release the final report to hon. Members and the public early in the new year.

Supermarkets: Complaints

James Paice: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much the Office of Fair Trading has spent on investigating complaints under the supermarket code of practice in each year since the code's inception.

Gareth Thomas: The OFT does not keep records or estimates of the costs of monitoring and enforcement of each individual remedy for which it is responsible.

Trade: Iceland

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the value of UK  (a) imports to and  (b) exports from Iceland were on the latest date for which figures are available.

Gareth Thomas: The Office for National Statistics UK Balance of Payments Pink Book shows that in 2007 UK imports from Iceland of goods were worth 414 million and imports of services were worth 92 million, while exports of goods were worth 195 million and exports of services were worth 174 million.
	According to the latest figures published by HM Revenue and Customs on an Overseas Trade Statistics basis, the UK's imports of goods from Iceland for the period January to August 2008 amounted to 291 million; UK's exports of goods to Iceland for the same period amounted to 134 million.

Wind Power

Mark Williams: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many wind turbines there are in the UK.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	In terms of wind turbines under 100kW ('microgeneration'), we assessed in our Element Energy research that there were 1,100 micro-wind turbines installed in the UK at the end of 2007. The research document can be downloaded at:
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/sources/sustainable/microgeneration/research/page38208.html
	The following table shows the number of wind turbines above 100kW generating in the UK at August 2008:
	
		
			   Number 
			 Onshore 2,185 
			 Offshore 193 
			 Total 2,378 
			  Source: AEA Technology.

Wind Power

Mark Williams: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what procedures are in place to ensure that generation from fossil fuel power stations is regulated to account for differentials in wind power generation.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	National Grid is responsible for procuring balancing services in order to balance demand and supply and to ensure the security and quality of electricity supply across the GB Transmission System.
	National Grid has a licence obligation to control system frequency within specified limits. National Grid must therefore ensure that sufficient generation and/or demand is held in automatic readiness to manage all credible circumstances that might result in frequency variations.

Wind Power

Mark Williams: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what information his Department holds on whether  (a) the output of fossil fuel power stations may be reduced for periods when wind power is available and  (b) there are periods of duplication of production.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	The information is as follows:
	 (a) National Grid is responsible for procuring balancing services in order to balance demand and supply and to ensure the security and quality of electricity supply across the GB Transmission System. National Grid may call plants on and off the system in order to maintain this balance.
	 (b) There can be no duplication of electrical generation as supply cannot be greater than demand.

Wind Power: Planning Permission

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what  (a) planning applications to local authorities and  (b) pre-application enquiries to the Ministry of Defence for onshore wind turbines were objected to by the Ministry of Defence or Defence Estates in each of the last three years; and what the reason was for the objection in each case.

Kevan Jones: I have been asked to reply.
	In the past three years the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has objected to planning applications and raised concerns on onshore pre-planning consultations as follows:
	
		
			   Number of planning applications for onshore wind turbines submitted to local planning authorities to which the MOD has objected  Number of onshore wind energy pre-planning consultations with which the MOD raised concerns 
			 2005 5 283 
			 2006 15 354 
			 2007 29 346 
		
	
	The planning applications to which the MOD objected, were 15 related to interference with air defence (AD) radar, 28 to interference with air traffic control (ATC) radar, two to interference with both AD and ATC radar, one to interference with NATS radar, and three due to an unacceptable restriction on low flying.
	The success of the MOD's pre-planning consultation process is based largely on the fact that, until a planning application is submitted, our discussions with developers are strictly in confidence. To release the substance of our discussions before a planning application is submitted would inevitably deter prospective developers from using the pre-planning process or trusting MOD with details of their proposals. For that reason it is not possible to give the details of our objections on a case by case basis.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Aerials

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many mobile telephone masts were constructed in each year since 1997.

Iain Wright: The Department does not hold this information. Local planning authorities are not required to notify the Department where a mast has been installed following a prior approval application.

Arc Manche

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether representatives of  (a) her Department and its predecessors and  (b) the Government Office for the South East have attended (i) formal or (ii) informal meetings of (A) the Arc Manche Assembly and (B) its committees since the Assembly's inception.

John Healey: No representatives of my Department or the Government Office for the South East have attended any meetings of the Arc Manche Assembly or its committees since the Assembly's inception.

Audit Commission

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government who the Audit Commission's appointed auditors are.

John Healey: The accounts of the Audit Commission are audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

Council Housing: Repairs and Maintenance

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authority-owned dwellings underwent improvements to their  (a) central heating and  (b) insulation in each year since 1996-97; and how much was spent on each kind of work in each year.

Iain Wright: The Department is not able to provide figures on central heating dating back to 1996-97. For local authorities, statistics on central heating and insulation works were first collected from 2001, initially through the Housing Investment Programme (HIP) and subsequently through the Business Plan Statistical Appendix (BPSA) from 2002. The following table displays the number of dwellings (and associated expenditure) receiving works each year, as reported by local authorities.
	
		
			  Local authority-owned dwellings and expenditure on central heating and insulation 
			   2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			  Central heating
			 Number of dwellings 107,188 127,580 125,682 133,732 140,066 139,494 135,477 
			 Expenditure ( million) 221 261 279 326 380 426 426 
			 
			  Insulation
			 Number of dwellings 111,943 105,572 119,257 138,116 111,633 89,817 81,563 
			 Expenditure ( million) 62 58 54 59 44 35 33 
			  Note:  Improvement work includes works of a capital nature: installation, replacement or major repair.   Sources:  1. Figures for 2002-07 from the Business Plan Statistical Appendix (BPSA). 2000 figures from the BPSA's predecessorthe Housing Investment Programme.  2. Figures include those authorities which have chosen to retain their housing stock and also Arms Length Management Organisations (ALMCs).

Council Housing: Standards

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on what date each local authority is expected to meet the decent homes standard.

Iain Wright: The information requested has been placed in the Library of the House.

Council Tax

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the implications of the recent Court of Appeal ruling on increased traffic and council tax bands for her Department's policy; and what the cost to the public purse of the legal case was.

John Healey: The Court of Appeal's ruling endorsed the Valuation Office Agency's existing practice in relation to the valuation for council tax of dwellings affected by increased traffic noise. The overall cost of the legal case to the public purse has not been calculated.

Demolition: Finance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough of 20 May 2008,  Official Report, column 262W, on demolition: finance, if she will now place in the Library the funding agreements.

Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Beckenham (Mrs. Lait) on 6 October 2008,  Official Report, column 340W.

Departmental Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 21 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 227-28W, on departmental non-departmental public bodies, if she will provide the equivalent information for all advisory non-departmental bodies with which funding has been agreed with her Department in 2008 to 2011.

Sadiq Khan: The Department currently sponsors five advisory non-departmental public bodies as follows:
	Advisory Panel for the Beacons Scheme: www.beacons.idea.gov.uk
	Advisory Panel on Standards for Planning Inspectorate: www.apos.gsi.gov.uk
	Building Regulations Advisory Committee: www.communities.gov.uk/brac
	National Community Forum: www.communities/communityempowerment/whatweare/ncf/
	National Housing and Planning Advice Unit: www.communities.gov.uk/nhpau
	I refer the hon. Member to the Department's publication 'Public Bodies 2007', which is available via our website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/publicbodies2007
	This year's publication will be available by the end of November 2008.

Departmental Recruitment Agencies

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which recruitment agencies  (a) her Department and  (b) its agencies have used in the last three years; and how much was paid to each of these recruitment agencies in each year.

Sadiq Khan: Communities and Local Government spent the following on temporary agency staff between 2005 and 2007:
	
		
			
			 2005-06 5,588,465 
			 2006-07 5,623,769 
		
	
	Changes in the way financial data were collected in 2007-08 means that total spend on agency temps could be made available only at disproportionate cost. Names of companies and breakdown of spend per company could also be made available only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Recruitment Agencies

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which companies were used by her Department for providing temporary staff in each of the last five years; and what the value of contracts with each such company was in each of those years.

Sadiq Khan: Communities and Local Government spent the following on temporary agency staff between 2003 and 2007:
	
		
			
			 2003-04 5,882,923 
			 2004-05 6,569,433 
			 2005-06 5,588,465 
			 2006-07 5,623,769 
		
	
	Changes in the way financial data were collected in 2007-08 means that total spend on agency temps could be made available only at disproportionate cost. Names of companies and breakdown of spend per company could also be made available only at disproportionate cost.

Design for Manufacture

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the location and address of each site in the Design for Manufacture competition is; and which sites have completed their home building process.

Iain Wright: The Design for Manufacture competition, which was launched in April 2005, was run by English Partnerships on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government. The competition was the Government's challenge to the house building industry to build high-quality, well-designed homes for 60,000. The figure of 60,000 relates to a target construction cost for building a two bedroom home and does not reflect the development cost or sale price.
	The 10 sites included in the Design for Manufacture competition are:
	Site 6, Oxley Park, Milton Keynes;
	Former TA Centre, Oxford Road, Aylesbury;
	Site D2, Upton, Northampton;
	Area 2, Allerton Bywater, near Leeds;
	Former Renny Lodge Hospital, London Road, Newport Pagnell;
	Former Park Prewett Hospital, Kingsclere Road, Basingstoke;
	Leybourne Grange, Maidstone;
	Rowan Lodge School, Merton, London;
	School Road, Hastings; and
	Former Greenhithe Territorial Army Centre, Horn's Cross, Dartford.
	Build out is mostly being taken forward on a phased basis and construction work is well advanced on most of the sites, with a number of phases completed, homes occupied and communities established. Renny Lodge in Newport Pagnell is the only site where all of the homes and public realm being built through the competition have been completed.

Eco-Towns

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what support her Department provided to Shelter for the production of the document on the proposed eco-town at Long Marston, entitled Middle Quinton: Eco-townthe Facts.

Iain Wright: We agreed to support the publication Middle Quinton: Eco-townthe facts, and similar ones for the other shortlisted eco-town locations, to ensure that people potentially affected by eco-towns have information about housing need in their area and how to take part in consultation. In terms of Middle Quinton: Eco-townthe facts we have contributed 7,366 (+ VAT) to Shelter for the production of the publication.
	These publications do not promote eco-town locations, but provide information about the housing situation in and around potential eco-town locations, so that people are able to make an informed input to decisions about whether an eco-town should go ahead. Any views expressed in the document are those of the authors and not my Department.

Empty Property

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 1 September 2008,  Official Report, columns 1421-22W, on empty property, if she will place in the Library a copy of the letter sent to local authorities seeking information on how reforms to the empty property rate are working.

John Healey: A copy of the letter has been placed in the Library.

Empty Property

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what powers local authorities have to take action against empty non-domestic dwellings which harm the amenity of the local environment.

Iain Wright: Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 provides a local planning authority (LPA) with the power, in certain circumstances, to take steps requiring land (including buildings) to be cleaned up when its condition adversely affects the amenity of the area. The use of section 215 by LPAs is discretionary and it is up to the LPA to decide whether a notice under these provisions would be appropriate in a particular case, taking account of the local circumstances.
	This power has been effectively used on large vacant industrial sites, town centre street frontages, rural sites, derelict buildings and semi-complete development as well as the more typical run-down residential properties and overgrown gardens.
	The Government have issued guidance on the use of this power which can be found in Town and Country Planning Act 1990 Section 215 Best Practice Guidance which can be accessed via the following link:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/townplanningact
	Potential sites can sometimes go beyond the remit of a s215 notice and the guidance sets out that there may be other more appropriate powers that an LPA can rely upon in order to effect a remedy, for example:
	ss76-79 of the Building Act for defective premises, dangerous building, ruinous and dilapidated buildings and neglected sites;
	s29 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 for works on unoccupied buildings;
	ss79-82 of the Environmental Protection Act for abatement of prohibition of a nuisance;
	Listed Building legislation such as Repairs and Urgent Works Notices;
	Completion notices; and
	Compulsory Purchase Orders.

Energy Performance Certificates

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether an impact assessment was undertaken in relation to the decision to allow energy performance certificates for the sale of domestic dwellings to have a shelf-life of three years.

Iain Wright: Yes. A preliminary Impact Assessment was published on 13 December 2007 as part of the Public Consultation on EPC Validity and is available on the CLG website. A final Impact Assessment was produced alongside SI 2363, EPBD Amendment No. 2 Regulations 2008 and placed in the House of Commons Library on 9 September.

Energy Performance Certificates

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  from what date energy performance certificates are required for a residential property sale; and at what stage in a sale;
	(2)  at what point in the residential sale process an energy performance certificate must be provided.

Iain Wright: There has been a requirement to provide a Home Information Pack containing an EPC from August 2007 for the sale of dwellings of four bedrooms and over, September 2007 for dwellings of three bedrooms and all remaining dwellings from December 2007.
	An EPC is required for the sale of all homes from 1 October 2008. This includes properties that do not require a HIP, either because they are exempt, or because they were placed on the market before the requirement to have a HIP commenced for their category.
	The EPC must be made available for any home, free of charge, to a prospective buyer from 1 October 2008, at the earliest opportunity and in any event where any of the following happens:
	When the building is viewed (even if that means providing the EPC before any written information is provided)
	If written information about the building is provided as a result of a request by a prospective purchaser
	Before contracts are exchanged
	It is not placing a property on the market that defines the point at which an EPC must be available, but any of the circumstances listed above.

Energy Performance Certificates

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment has been made of the reliability and accuracy of energy performance certificates for domestic dwellings.

Iain Wright: Domestic energy assessors are overseen by accreditation schemes, who are responsible for the quality of EPCs and redress for consumers. All schemes must meet quality standards as a condition of approval: this includes ensuring the quality of assessors and EPCs. As an additional check, the Department has commissioned an independent audit of quality assurance procedures, and the first phase of this is currently being carried out.

Environmental Impact Assessments

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what requirements there will be on local planning authorities to produce environmental impact assessments; and to what types of planning application such requirements will apply.

Iain Wright: The latest environmental impact assessment (EIA) regulations have been in force since 1999. They require an EIA to be carried out by a developer to accompany planning applications for certain types of development which are likely to have significant effects on the environment. EIA is compulsory for certain categories of large scale development (e.g. construction of motorways). The decision whether or not to require EIA for smaller scale developments (e.g. housing developments exceeding 0.5 hectares) falls to the local planning authority.

Fire Services

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether regional firecontrol room limited companies are public authorities for the purposes of freedom of information legislation.

Sadiq Khan: The local authority controlled companies are wholly owned by the fire and rescue authorities in each region and are public authorities for the purposes of freedom of information.

Fire Services: Manpower

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many firefighters there were per 100,000 residents in each fire and rescue authority in England in each year since 1997.

Sadiq Khan: holding answer 27 October 2008
	I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 13 October 2008,  Official Report, column 975W, to the hon. Member for Chesterfield (Paul Holmes).

First Time Buyers

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much has been allocated to assist first-time buyers with property purchases in  (a) 2008-09,  (b) 2009-10,  (c) 2010-11 and  (d) 2011-12.

Iain Wright: We do not set budgets for individual low cost home ownership products, which fall within the Housing Corporation's Affordable Housing Programme. Of the overall 8.4 billion budget available over the three years 2008-11, we have indicated that around 1.5 billion may be used for low cost home ownership. The overall funds available for 2011-12 will be subject to decisions made at the next spending review.
	To the end of September the Housing Corporation has spent a total of 180 million on low cost home ownership schemes in 2008-09.
	On 2 September we announced a further 300 million over the next two years (2008-10) to help up to 10,000 first time buyers through the new shared equity scheme HomeBuy Direct. This scheme is designed to sell unsold properties that house builders have been unable to sell. The scheme will be offered on specific new build properties brought forward by developers. Buyers will be offered an equity loan of up to 30 per cent. of purchase price, co-funded by Government and the developer.

Gigateway

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what reason her Department has decided to cease funding for the Gigateway; and whether she plans to reassess the spatial data infrastructure during the implementation of the INSPIRE Directive.

Iain Wright: The Gigateway metadata service has been in operation for several years through the Association for Geographic Information as a unique service to the GI (geographic information) community. Due to financial pressures, funding support from Communities and Local Government for Gigateway ends on 31 March 2009. The future role of Gigateway within the UK Spatial Data Infrastructure will be developed following publication of the UK Location Strategy. DEFRA is leading the implementation of INSPIRE and the UK Location Strategy.

Home Information Packs

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 8 May 2008,  Official Report, columns 37-39WS, on home information packs, what the timetable is for the production of the report of the working group.

Iain Wright: The Working Group on Leasehold Information in HIPs has completed its work and we are currently considering the conclusions.

Home Information Packs

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield of 15 September 2008,  Official Report, column 2085W, on home information packs, what assessment  (a) her Department and  (b) consultants for her Department have made of the typical maximum period within which a local authority search in a home information pack will be accepted as valid by a mortgage lender.

Iain Wright: None.

Home Information Packs

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what information her Department  (a) collected and  (b) sampled arising from home information pack purchases.

Iain Wright: Throughout the roll out of the Home Information Pack programme, the Department conducted a range of interviews with estate agents and other property professionals to help monitor the effectiveness of the mechanisms and processes in place to produce HIPs, including average cost and average length of time taken to prepare.

Home Information Packs

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the timetable is for the introduction of property information questionnaires in home information packs.

Iain Wright: The consultation on the property information questionnaire closed on 30 September 2008. We are currently analysing responses. Decisions on whether to introduce the questionnaire and the timescales for any introductions will follow this analysis.

Home Information Packs

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the maximum period is for which a search report included in a home information pack is valid.

Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Member for Gloucester (Mr. Dhanda) gave to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps) of 15 September 2008,  Official Report, column 2085W, on home information packs.

Home Information Packs: Prosecutions

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many individuals have been prosecuted for failure to comply with home information pack requirements.

Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps) on 21 October 2008,  Official Report, column 230W.

Homelessness

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what measures the Government plans to introduce to alleviate  (a) homelessness and  (b) youth homelessness.

Iain Wright: Tackling homelessness is a key priority for this Government. We work closely with local authorities and voluntary sector organisations to drive forward our homelessness agenda.
	We have allocated 200 million to local authorities and voluntary organisations over the next three years to tackle and prevent homelessness in their areathe biggest ever cash injection for homelessness services. In addition, a further 80 million capital funding has been allocated through our Places of Change Programme to work in partnership with voluntary organisations to build on the success of improving hostels and day centres.
	We also announced in September a 200 million mortgage rescue scheme, which will help up to 6,000 of the most vulnerable households facing repossession over the next two years.
	Homelessness prevention measures funded by Communities and Local Government have had a major impact. In the last five years, we have more than halved the number of homeless households in priority need accepted by local authorities; we are now making serious inroads into the backlog of households in temporary accommodation, and local authorities are making good progress on meeting our target to halve the number of households in temporary accommodation to 50,500 by 2010 with one third of authorities having already met the target; we are maintaining levels of rough sleeping at historical low levels and we are now developing an updated Rough Sleeping Strategy that builds on 10 years of success and aim to publish it later in the year.
	We established the National Youth Homelessness Scheme (NYHS) jointly led by Centrepoint and YMCA England. NYHS has established nine regional centres of excellence to offer practical examples to neighbouring authorities of effective service models, and a website and knowledge base to offer accessible information and practical initiatives on preventing and tackling youth homelessness.
	In addition, local authorities are making good progress on the commitment that by 2010, no 16 or 17-year-olds should be placed in bed-and-breakfast accommodation by a local authority under the homelessness legislation, except in an emergency. At the end of June 2008, there were 420 16 and 17-year-olds in bed-and-breakfast accommodation (compared to the September 2006 estimated baseline of 1,000) with only 160 accommodated for more than six weeks.

Homelessness: Young People

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people aged 18 to 21 years approached their local authority for accommodation on the basis that they were homeless in each local authority area in the latest period for which figures are available.

Iain Wright: Information about English local housing authorities' actions under the homelessness legislation (Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996) is collected quarterly at local authority level. Data collected include all decisions made on applications for assistance by eligible applicants, and the number of these applicants accepted by local housing authorities as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need, and therefore owed a main homelessness duty (to secure that suitable accommodation is available). These households are known as 'accepted' households.
	Information on applications for assistance under the homelessness legislation by age is not held centrally. However the number of households accepted by local authorities as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need, and therefore owed a main homelessness duty, is collected by age bands, and includes those applicants who are aged between 16 and 24-years-old.
	A table has been placed in the Library showing total acceptances of applicants aged between 16 and 24-years-old, by each local authority, for the most recent quarter for which information is availableApril to June 2008.

Homelessness: Young People

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many free emergency beds are available solely to homeless youths at any one time in  (a) the UK,  (b) the North East,  (c) Tees Valley District and  (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency.

Iain Wright: The Department does not collect this information.

Homelessness: Young People

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much her Department and its predecessors has spent on services for homeless youths in each of the last 10 years.

Iain Wright: My Department does not record figures covering total spend on youth homelessness services for the time period specified.
	Funding for youth homelessness services will typically come from unhypothecated revenue and capital grants given to local authorities and the voluntary and community sector (VCS) by my Department. For example, we have allocated 200 million over the next three years (2008-11) for local authorities and the VCS to tackle and prevent homelessness. It is for them to determine how best to use this money to achieve this aim.
	In November 2006, the Government announced a package of measures to prevent and tackle youth homelessness, this included the establishment of the National Youth Homelessness Scheme. During 2007-08, an additional 600,000 for new services was made available. It helped local authorities set up new supported lodgings and other supported housing services, as well as schemes to prevent young people becoming homeless.
	Since 2003, administering authorities have been allocated funding through the Supporting People programme, to support the most vulnerable people in their communities through the provision of housing-related support. Authorities, rather than central Government, determine how to focus their Supporting People funding. We do not collect data on how much of the funding authorities spent on services for homeless youths specifically, but do know that in 2005-06, authorities spent 105 million on young people at risk, and 115 million in 2006-07.

Housing

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what issues the forthcoming Housing Green Paper will address; and what the timetable is for its publication.

Margaret Beckett: The Government announced in 'Preparing Britain for the future: the Government's draft legislative programme 2008-09' (available from The Stationery Office)
	http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm73/7372/7372.pdf
	and its intention to publish a Housing Reform Green Paper towards the end of 2008. It said that the Green Paper would set out
	proposals to provide housing services and options which help and encourage people towards greater economic independence and social mobilitymatching responsibility with opportunity so that they can realise their potential and best meet their own housing aspirations in the futureand to deliver greater fairness and make best use of resources.
	I am currently considering the content and timing of the Green Paper.

Housing and Communities Agency: Public Appointments

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government who has been appointed to the Board of the Housing and Communities Agency; what criteria were used in making the appointments; and what annual remuneration each board member will receive.

Iain Wright: The board members appointed to the board, in addition to Robert Napier as chair were: Kate Barker, Professor Peter Roberts, Bob Lane, Candy Atherton, Margaret Fay, Shaukat Moledina, Don Wood, Ian Robertson and Dru Vesty.
	Recruitment was carried out in two phases. To preserve continuity from the HCA's predecessor bodies, some of the membership of the board of the HCA was drawn from the existing English Partnership and Housing Corporation Boards via a preference exercise and interview process. New members were recruited via an open competition and were required to meet advertised criteria. These included experience of the commercial realities of delivering large scale physical development, experience of leading organisations at board level, combined with an understanding of the public sector, public finance and accountability. The appointments were made in accordance with the Code of Practice of the Office of the Commissioners for Public Appointments.
	The remuneration of all board members is 13,000 per annum for a commitment of two days per month.

Housing: Carbon Emissions

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Answer of 1 September 2008,  Official Report, column 1479W, on stamp duty land tax, who is responsible for determining whether an energy performance certificate contains the information sufficient to demonstrate that the zero carbon homes standard has been met and that a further inspection is not necessary for certification.

Stephen Timms: I have been asked to reply.
	Accredited assessors are responsible for deciding whether the information contained in an energy performance certificate provides sufficient evidence, that the zero carbon homes standard has been met.

Housing: Construction

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent assessment she has made of the implications of the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and secondary legislation made under it on building standards and regulations for new domestic dwellings.

Iain Wright: Implementation of the Disability Discrimination Act does not by necessity require amendment of the Building Regulations. However, in line with the requirements of the Disability Equality Duty, Communities and Local Government will Equality Impact Assess existing policies, and any proposed changes, on Building Regulations for new domestic dwellings as they come forward for review. Equality Impact Assessments are made publicly available on the Departmental web site.

Housing: Low Incomes

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) budgeted expenditure and  (b) outturn expenditure was for each HomeBuy scheme in each year since the schemes were introduced.

Iain Wright: The following table shows outturn expenditure through the Housing Corporation's Affordable Housing programme for each homebuy scheme for each year since the schemes were introduced. As new build homebuy is comparable to the Shared Ownership programme we have also provided these figures back to 1997-98. New build homebuy and social homebuy were only introduced from 2006-07.
	
		
			million 
			   Shared ownership  Homebuy new build  Open market homebuy  Social homebuy 
			 1997-98 62.0 n/a 0.0 n/a 
			 1998-99 49.5 n/a 0.0 n/a 
			 1999-2000 49.0 n/a 19.9 n/a 
			 2000-01 60.2 n/a 35.3 n/a 
			 2001-02 51.2 n/a 36.7 n/a 
			 2002-03 75.7 n/a 108.6 n/a 
			 2003-04 227.5 n/a 266.1 n/a 
			 2004-05 247.6 n/a 213.7 n/a 
			 2005-06 225.8 n/a 314.3 n/a 
			 2006-07 111.9 208.1 91.3 0.5 
			 2007-08 49.2 267.5 83.9 1.9 
			  Source:  Housing Corporation 
		
	
	We do not set budgets for individual low cost home ownership products which fall within the Housing Corporation's Affordable Housing programme.

Housing: Low Incomes

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent steps the Government has taken to increase the stock of affordable housing.

Iain Wright: We remain committed to the delivery of affordable housing. We are investing over 8 billion in affordable housing over the three years, 2008-11. This investment is being made initially through the Housing Corporation and then the new Homes and Communities Agency.
	Our aspiration is to reach 70,000 new affordable homes a year by 2010-11.
	On 2 September we announced a 1 billion housing market package to increase confidence, stability and fairness in the housing market, building on the previous announcements in May and July. These measures include bringing forward 400 million in order to deliver up to 5,500 new social homes over the next 18 months on top of current assumptions and offering up to 10,000 first-time buyers currently frozen out of the mortgage market the chance to get onto the property ladder through a new shared equity scheme, Homebuy Direct which is being offered in partnership with house builders.
	As part of this package we will be supporting up to 6,000 of the most vulnerable homeowners facing repossession to remain in their home through a mortgage rescue scheme of 200 million.

Housing: Overcrowding

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the Government plans to bring forward new standards for statutory housing over-crowding; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: The Government are committed to addressing overcrowding and to updating the statutory standards. We have invested over 4 million in 38 local authorities this year to enable them to develop strategies and action plans to tackle overcrowding. Part of this funding has been used to collect more robust data on overcrowding which will enable us to assess the cost and impact of updating the statutory standards. We expect to have further evidence from the pathfinders next spring.

Housing: Per Capita Costs

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was spent from the public purse per head on housing in  (a) rural and  (b) urban areas in 2007-08.

Iain Wright: This information is not held centrally.

Housing: Planning

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much has been allocated to  (a) the Housing and Planning Delivery Group and  (b) Growth Point funding for each of the next three years.

Iain Wright: The Government are not aware of a Housing and Planning Delivery Group. However the current funding allocations for the next three years for  (a) Housing and Planning Delivery Grant and  (b) Growth Point Funding are set out in the following tables:
	
		
			  Housing and planning delivery grant 
			   million 
			  Year  Planning  Housing  Total 
			 1 60 40 100 
			 2 72 88 160 
			 3 62 188 250 
			 Total 194 316 510 
		
	
	
		
			  Growth point funding 
			   million 
			  Year  1( st)  Round  2( nd)  Round  Total 
			 1 89 3 92 
			 2 109 38 147 
			 3 129 59 188 
			 Total 327 100 427

Housing: Planning

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the criteria are for the allocation of housing and planning delivery grant.

Iain Wright: The Housing and Planning Delivery Grant was established to reward local authorities for improved delivery of housing and other planning outcomes. It consists of a housing and a planning element.
	For this year, the housing element is allocated to all local authorities with net additional housing completions above 0.75 per cent. of their existing housing stock. For each net addition above the threshold, the local authority receives one unit of housing grant.
	The planning element consists of four components: demonstrating sufficient land for housing in line with planning policy statement 3 through a strategic housing land availability assessment (SHLAA); delivery of core strategies and development plan documents; joint working on the production of any plan document under the provisions of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004; and publication of a strategic housing market assessment.
	Further information is available at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/allocationsummaryresponses

Housing: Prices

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she has considered the merits of implementing a scheme to narrow the gap between house prices and wages.

Iain Wright: The Government do not set house price levels or private sector wages. Our current policies aim to increase the supply of housing and widen affordability. The Housing Green Paper published in July 2007 'Homes for the future: more affordable, more sustainable' (CM 7191), set out our target to raise annual housing supply to 240,000 additional homes a year by 2016 in England.

Housing: Regeneration

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether 2008-09 output targets for the latest round of housing market renewal pathfinders have now been agreed.

Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 6 October 2008,  Official Report, column 340W, given to the hon. Member for Beckenham (Mrs. Lait).

Housing: Repairs and Maintenance

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average length of time taken to complete urgent housing repairs by each local authority was in each of the last five years.

Iain Wright: The Department does not hold data to address the question. The nearest equivalent 'Percentage of urgent repairs completed within Government time limits' is collected by the Department through the annual Local Authority Business Plan Statistical Appendix returns. A table with information for the last five years (2002-03 to 2006-07) has been placed in the Library of the House.
	Since 2001, many local authorities have chosen to transfer their entire social stock to registered social landlords through the option of large scale voluntary transfer (LSVT). The table reflects the increasing occurrence of these changes over the five year period as data are only collected from authorities which own their own stock or have set up an arm's length management organisation to manage the stock.

Housing: Statistics

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make a statement on the withdrawal of housing data in July 2008 due to inconsistencies; and what data were affected.

Stephen Timms: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Gentleman to the Explanatory note published on HMRC's website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/survey_of_prop/revision.htm

Housing: Students

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether new additional student accommodation in university towns counts towards the building targets in regional spatial strategies.

Iain Wright: Communal establishments are not counted in overall housing supply (hence do not count towards the building targets in regional spatial strategies) i.e. establishments providing managed residential accommodation. These cover university and college student accommodation (including self-contained flats clustered into units with four to six bedrooms), hospital staff accommodation, hostels/homes, hotels/holiday complexes, defence establishments (not married quarters) and prisons.

Housing: Sustainable Development

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the differences are between a sustainability certificate and an energy performance certificate.

Iain Wright: An energy performance certificate records how energy efficient a property is as a building and provides A-G ratings. These are similar to the labels now provided with domestic appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines.
	They are produced using standard methods and assumptions about energy usage so that the energy efficiency of one building can easily be compared with another building of the same type.
	An energy performance certificate is always accompanied by a recommendation report that lists cost effective and other measures (such as low and zero carbon generating systems) to improve the energy rating. A rating is also given showing what could be achieved if all the recommendations were implemented.
	More information about energy performance certificates can be found at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/planningandbuilding/theenvironment/energyperformance/homes/energyperformancecertificates/.
	A sustainability certificate (either an interim or final sustainability certificate) is a certificate issued in accordance with the Code for Sustainable Homes (the code) and records the sustainability of a newly constructed home in nine categories. These include water efficiency, waste, surface water run-off, materials, ecology, pollution, health and well-being and management.
	When a newly constructed home is marketed for sale the home information pack must include an energy performance certificate and an interim or final sustainability certificate showing the code rating (from one star to six stars) or a nil rated certificate, as set out in the Home Information Pack (Amendment) Regulations 2008 (No. 572). A nil-rated certificate states that the home has been designed to meet building regulations and can be downloaded free of charge from the Communities and Local Government's website.
	More information about the Code for Sustainable Homes can be found at
	www.communities.gov.uk/thecode

Infrastructure Planning Commission

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the Infrastructure Planning Commission is expected to be operational.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Putney (Justine Greening) on 13 May 2008,  Official Report, column 1444W.

Intelligent Addressing

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 20 May 2008, Official Report, column 263W, on departmental consultants, for what purpose her Department has hired Intelligent Addressing Ltd to provide National Land and Property Gazetteer address matching.

Sadiq Khan: Intelligent Addressing Ltd. has been hired to integrate the technology systems for FiReControl with data from the National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG).
	The FiReControl project will deliver a national network of regional control centres for fire and rescue services in England. The centres will provide emergency call handling, mobilisation and incident support services. A key component of the control centres will be a mobilising gazetteera list of locations which may be used in the identification of the location of an incident. The Department has made a strategic decision to use the NLPG as the core of the mobilising gazetteer for the regional control centres.

Local Authorities: Finance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what powers local authorities have with regard to non-ringfenced grants made according to comprehensive performance assessments; and whether such powers will change under the system of comprehensive area assessments.

John Healey: Under the comprehensive performance assessment, (CPA) local authorities who were categorised as three or four star authorities received all specific revenue grants on a non-ringfenced basis, other than the Supporting People Grant and those grants passported to schools.
	With the introduction of the new local performance framework, of which comprehensive area assessment (CAA) is part, the Government have provided local authorities with greater flexibility in the way they use Government grant more generally. We have increased significantly the amount of funding for all authorities which is not ring-fenced. This year, we introduced the Area Based Granta non-ring fenced grant which is planned to be worth 4.7 billion by 2010-11. It is made up of over forty individual grant streams from seven Government Departments. As a non-ring fenced grant, local authorities are free to use it as they see fit to support priorities. There are no links with either the CPA or CAA.
	When CPA is replaced by CAA in April 2009, there will be no overall categorisation of local authorities. The future of freedoms and flexibilities under CAA, including ring-fencing, is currently under consideration. An announcement on its future will be made before CAA comes into operation in 2009.

Local Government Finance

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what grants from her Department are available to local authorities in 2008-09.

Sadiq Khan: holding answer 27 October 2008
	Grants that are available this year to local authorities by Communities and Local Government are listed as follows.
	Supporting People
	Housing and Planning Delivery Grant
	Disabled Facilities Grant
	Housing Defects Grant
	Community Infrastructure Fund (for eligible Local Authorities in the Growth areas, Growth Points and Eco-towns)
	Gypsy Sites Grant
	Homelessness Grant
	Housing Market Renewal Fund
	Housing Revenue Account Subsidy
	Hostels Capital Improvement Programme/Places for Change
	Choice-based Lettings
	Growth Fund(for Local Authorities in the Growth Areas and Growth Points)
	Area Based Grant
	European Regional Development Fund
	Performance Reward Grant
	Procurement Efficiency Social Housing
	Regional Housing Pot Grant
	National Indicator 160 Grant
	Private Finance Initiative Special Grant
	Restoration Fund
	Emergency Financial Assistance to local authorities (Bellwin)
	Improvement, Transformation and Efficiency (formerly Capacity Building and Local Government Efficiency Challenge)
	Council Tax Discount Grant
	Invest to Save
	Local Authority Business Growth Incentives Schemes
	Local E-Government
	Local Government Information Management and Systems
	General Greater London Authority Grant
	National Non Domestic Rate paymentscollection costs
	National Non Domestic Rates Outturn Adjustments
	In addition to these, there is a formula grant which comprises Revenue Support Grant, redistributed business rates and principal formula Police Grant, where appropriate.
	From time to time my Department also pays grant under section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003 to the fire authorities in England to meet agreed costs in respect of the New Dimension project and other Fire and Resilience expenditure.

Local Government: Standards

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what inspections of local government take place under  (a) the Charter Mark programme,  (b) auspices of the Audit Commission and  (c) both.

John Healey: The Cabinet Office is responsible for the policy on charter mark which has been replaced by a new standardCustomer Service Excellence. Under this new scheme, organisations are helped to develop a customer focused service.
	Audit Commission inspections cover service provision such as housing, environment, benefits and cultural services as well as cross cutting issues such as regeneration and community safety.
	There are no joint inspections.

Local Government: Standards

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the estimated annual effect on costs to the public purse is across  (a) central Government,  (b) the Audit Commission and  (c) local authorities arising from the shift from comprehensive performance assessment to comprehensive area assessment.

John Healey: Government have committed to reducing the cost of public service inspection by one-third by 2008-09 compared to 2003-04. Government commissioned the Audit Commission and six other inspectorates who have responsibility relating to inspecting services provided by local authorities and their partners to develop a methodology for the comprehensive area assessment, to be introduced in April 2009. The inspectorates were charged with ensuring the proposals for CAA were consistent with the commitment to reduce costs by one-third, and to explore the potential for further reductions beyond this.

Modelling Transitional Rate Relief Options

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library a copy of the research report, LGR 65/12/122, on Modelling Transitional Rate Relief Options.

John Healey: The results of the research report Modelling Options for Transitional Arrangements were published in December 2004 and are available on the Department's website.
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/archived/publications/localgovernment/modellingoptions

National Land Use Database

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to respond to the recommendations in the National Land Use Database scoping study commissioned by her Department.

Iain Wright: The Government will consider the recommendations contained in the study and will respond in due course.

Non-domestic Rates: Small Businesses

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the deadlines for small firms to submit applications to claim small business rate relief for the  (a) 2006-07,  (b) 2007-08 and  (c) 2008-09 financial years are.

John Healey: The deadline to apply for small business rate relief in respect of financial year 2006-07 ended on 30 September 2007. The deadline for applying in respect of financial years 2007-08 and 2008-09 is 30 September 2010.

Ordnance Survey

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what arrangements are in place for the payment of bonuses to officials of Ordnance Survey; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: Ordnance Survey operates a performance-related pay system for staff, informed by the 3-Year Corporate Business Plan which is agreed by Ministers, and within a pay remit agreed by Ministers and by HM Treasury. An overall bonus structure is agreed by the Ordnance Survey Remuneration Committee comprising non-executive directors. Subject to annual performance review, staff receive individual pay progression, and may receive an annual agency performance bonus, with the agreement of the Remuneration Committee, if all of Ordnance Survey's Agency Performance Monitors, set by Ministers, are met.
	The remuneration of Ordnance Survey directors is subject to performance targets aligned to the Corporate Plan. These targets determine base pay levels and potential for bonuses, and are set by the director general and chief executive for executive directors, and by the Remuneration Committee for the director general and chief executive. Directors' performances and eligibility for bonuses are reviewed annually, and recommendations are subject to approval by the Ordnance Survey Remuneration Committee, within the guidelines set by Cabinet Office.

Place Shaping

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her Department's definition of place shaping is.

John Healey: The term place-shaping was defined by Sir Michael Lyons as 'the creative use of powers and influence to promote the general well-being of a community and its citizens', and became a key theme in the 2006 Local Government White Paper. The Department's interpretation of this concept is set out in the Statutory Guidance - Creating strong, safe and prosperous communities which can be found at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/strongsafeprosperous

Places Community

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the annual cost of her Department's Places Community.

Iain Wright: The Places Community was established in September 2008 at a cost of 14,000. Annual costs in future years are estimated at 10,000.
	The Community's main aim is to raise awareness and increase usage of various established departmental projects which, collectively, provide a wide range of statistical and geographic evidence around the concept of 'place'.

Planning Permission

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government under what circumstances a certificate of lawfulness is required in relation to a proposed development; and whether a developer or householder is required to obtain such a certificate if the proposed development does not require planning permission.

Iain Wright: Sections 191 and 192 of the 1990 Town and Country Planning Act provide for anyone to apply to the local planning authority for a lawful development certificate. A certificate confirms the lawfulnessin planning terms onlyof a past, present or future use of land, or of existing or proposed building or engineering works, for example. It is not a grant of planning permission and the main purpose of lawful development certificates is to give the applicant certainty and peace of mind on a particular issue. There is, therefore, no requirement to obtain a certificate. It will be for the developer or householder to consider whether to make an application for a lawful development certificate.

Planning Permission: Approved Premises

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether planning authorities may take into account the potential effect on  (a) crime and disorder and  (b) fear of crime and disorder when considering a change of use planning application to create a bail hostel.

Iain Wright: The courts have held that public fear about the impact of a development is capable of being a material consideration in the determination of planning applications.
	It is for the local authority to decide, depending on the individual circumstances of a case, how much weight is given to crime and disorder and the fear of such in the determination of a planning application.

Planning: Building Regulations

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance she has given local planning authorities on determining applications to extend  (a) domestic and  (b) commercial properties with regard to compliance with part M of the building regulations; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: Planning Circular 01/06 contains guidance on the requirement for most types of application for planning permission to be accompanied by a design and access statement. These statements seek to ensure that development proposals, amongst other things, demonstrate a sustainable approach to access. Although most types of commercial development require a statement, only a minority of householder applications, for example, those in conservation areas, do so.

Planning: Hammersmith

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on what grounds her Department issued the Article 14 notice to stop Hammersmith and Fulham Council granting planning approval for the White City Collaborative Care Centre.

Iain Wright: The Article 14 was issued to enable the Secretary of State to consider whether or not she should direct, under Section 77 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, that the application should be called in for her determination.

PPS6

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she plans to  (a) publish a draft version of PPS6 and  (b) consult on its content.

Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Beckenham (Mrs. Lait) on 6 October 2008,  Official Report, column 356W.

Property Searches: Income

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of changes in the level of local authority revenue from land searches in each of the last 12 months.

Iain Wright: None.

Regeneration: Canvey Island

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 16 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1411W, on regeneration: Canvey Island, what assessment she has made of the effect of absence of an additional access road for Canvey Island on the area's regeneration.

Iain Wright: The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has made no assessment of the absence of an additional access road for Canvey Island on the area's regeneration. Regeneration priorities on Canvey Island are for Castle Point borough council to propose in the first instance, as are any assessments of infrastructure requirements.

Regional Development Agencies: Finance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her Department's contribution to regional development agencies single budget in  (a) 2009-10 and  (b) 2010-11 will be.

John Healey: My Department's indicative contribution to the regional development agencies single programme budget is 1485.097 million for 2009-10 and 1198.326 million for 2010-11.
	On 2 September 2008, the Government announced that 300 million would be redirected from my Department's contribution to the RDA single programme budget to fund the Homebuy Direct scheme to help first-time buyers to purchase new build homes. The aforementioned totals given reflect this 300 million redirection, currently profiled as 25 million in 2009-10 and 275 million in 2010-11.

Regional Planning and Development

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average number of planning enforcement officers in local authorities was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Iain Wright: This information is not collected by the Department.

Regional Planning and Development

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what obligations local planning authorities have to place maximum parking standards for  (a) residential and  (b) non-residential development in their local development frameworks.

Iain Wright: In exercising their planning functions local planning authorities are required to have regard to the Government's overarching planning policy on parking which is set out in Planning Policy Guidance note 13: Transport (PPG13).
	PPG13 is clear that local authority policies in preparing their development plans should set maximum levels of parking for broad classes of development, including residential and non-residential development, and that there should be no minimum standards for development, other than parking for disabled people.

Regional Planning and Development

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which regional spatial strategies or regional planning guidance documents currently in effect have maximum parking standards in place for  (a) residential and  (b) non-residential development.

Iain Wright: All Regional Spatial Strategies currently, in effect, contain policies relating to parking standards for  (a) residential and  (b) non-residential development. Whether these standards are treated as maximums or not depends on the region. These parking standard policies are informed by PPG 13 Transport and PPS3 Housing.
	 North East Policy 54
	http://www.gos.gov.uk/gone/ourregion/regional_strategies/
	The RSS does not define the maximum parking standards for residential and non-residential development, it is the LDF which sets these standards so as to reflect local circumstances.
	 North WestPolicy RT2
	http://www.gos.gov.uk/gonw/Planning/RegionalPlanning/
	The maximum parking standards cover non-residential developments only.
	 Yorkshire and HumberPolicy T2
	http://www.yhassembly.gov.uk/News/2007/Assembly%20welcomes%20publication%20of%20RSS%20panel%20report/
	The maximum parking standards cover non-residential developments only.
	 East MidlandsPolicy 47
	http://www.gos.gov.uk/goern/psc/suscom/rss/eastmidlandsplan/
	The maximum parking standards cover non-residential developments only.
	 West MidlandsPolicy T7
	http://www.wmra.gov.uk/page.asp?id=47
	The RSS does not define the maximum parking standards for residential and non-residential development; it is the LDF which sets these standards so as to reflect local circumstances.
	 East of EnglandPolicy T14
	http://www.eera.gov.uk/category.asp?cat=120
	The RSS defines the maximum parking standards for residential and non-residential development as set out in PPG 13 Transport; but it is the LDF which interprets these standards so as to reflect local circumstances.
	 South EastPolicy T12
	http://www.southeast-ra.gov.uk/southeastplan/plan/view_plan.html
	The RSS states that local parking standards set out in LDFs for residential and non-residential development have to be line with PPG 13 Transport.
	 South WestPolicy RTS3
	http://www.southwest-ra.gov.uk/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=836
	The maximum parking standards cover non-residential developments only.
	 LondonPolicies 3C.23 and C3.24
	http://www.london.gov.uk/thelondonplan/
	The London Plan does define the maximum parking standards for residential, and non-residential development; the boroughs should interpret these standards so as to reflect local circumstances.

Regional Planning and Development: Castle Point

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will instigate an inquiry into Castle Point Borough Council's  (a) policies and procedures regarding planning enforcement action with respect of building on Green Belt land and  (b) overall planning enforcement record.

Iain Wright: We have no plans for such an inquiry.

Regional Planning and Development: Finance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 14 May 2008,  Official Report, column 1638W, on regional planning and development: finance, which Government office or agency funds the  (a) e-governmental regional partnerships and  (b) regional equality and diversity partnerships.

John Healey: These are membership bodies and questions concerning their funding should be addressed to them.

Regional Spatial Strategy: South West

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assumptions of average economic growth per annum to 2026 were made in the preparation of the draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West.

Sadiq Khan: The Draft Regional Spatial Strategy submitted in April 2006 was based on the assumption that there is a need to plan for economic growth in Gross Value Added of 2.8 per cent.
	Proposed changes to the Regional Spatial Strategy published in July 2008 delete this reference and refer to the need to plan for anticipated economic change, supporting growth in line with the Regional Economic Strategy (RES). The RES states the region should be prepared for economic growth at a rate of 3.2 per cent.

Right to Buy Scheme

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the total value of right to buy receipts has been in each month of the most recent two years for which figures are available; and what amount has been  (a) retained by local authorities and  (b) taken by Government in each such month.

Iain Wright: Data on local authority right to buy receipts are only collected quarterly. Data on receipts paid back to the Department do not distinguish between right to buy receipts and receipts of sales of dwellings not under the right to buy scheme. The following table sets out the receipts arising from the sales of local authority properties under the right to buy scheme between April 2006 and March 2008.
	The table also sets out the amount from the receipts arising from all sales of local authority dwellings that are paid to the Secretary of State.
	Figures are based on returns made to CLG by local authorities.
	
		
			   million 
			  Quarter  Total receipts arising from LA RTB sales  Total receipts arising from the sales of LA dwellings that are paid to the Secretary of State (provisional) 
			 April-June 2006 287.1 200.5 
			 July-September 2006 277.9 206.8 
			 October-December 2006 314.2 219.6 
			 January-March 2007 266.2 202.0 
			 April-June 2007 265.9 191.4 
			 July- September 2007 267.6 202.6 
			 October-December 2007 237.8 175.2 
			 January-March 2008 162.7 116.7 
		
	
	Figures for total receipts arising from LA RTB sales are from PIB quarterly returns from local authorities to CLG.
	Figures for total receipts arising from the sales of LA dwellings that are paid to the Secretary of State are taken from LOGASNet Returns 2006PO4 and 2007PO4 made to CLG by local authorities as they appeared on 22 October 2008; the figures are subject to correction.

Right to Buy Scheme: Discounts

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Welwyn, Hatfield of 10 September 2008,  Official Report, columns 1996-98W, on the right to buy scheme: discounts, what consideration her Department and its predecessors have given to increasing right to buy discounts in line with house price inflation and appreciation since 1997.

Iain Wright: The Government have no plan to change the current maximum limits on Right to Buy discounts.

Right to Buy Scheme: Discounts

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Welwyn, Hatfield of 10 September 2008,  Official Report, columns 1996-98W, on the right to buy scheme: discounts, what assessment her Department or its contractors has made of the effect of the changes in right to buy discounts and eligibility on the affordability of right to buy properties.

Iain Wright: The School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol and the Centre for Urban and Regional Studies, University of Birmingham carried out a thorough assessment of the impact of the changes to Right to Buy discounts that took effect in February 1999. Copies were placed in the Libraries of both Houses in May 2003. The report is also available on the website of the Department for Communities and Local Government, at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/impact

Right to Buy Scheme: Discounts

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what each of the regional and local authority caps for right to buy discounts are.

Iain Wright: The current maximum right to buy discount limits determined by the Secretary of State under section 131 of the Housing Act 1985 are:
	
		
			  Area/region  Maximum RTB discount () 
			 All London boroughs except Barking and Dagenham and Havering 16,000 
			 London boroughs of Barking and Dagenham and Havering 38,000 
			 Chiltern, Epsom and Ewell, Hart, Oxford, Reading, Reigate and Banstead, Tonbridge and Malling, Vale of White Horse, Watford, West Berkshire 16,000 
			 South East region except Chiltern, Epsom and Ewell, Hart, Oxford, Reading, Reigate and Banstead, Tonbridge and Malling, Vale of White Horse, West Berkshire 38,000 
			 Eastern region except Watford 34,000 
			 South West 30,000 
			 North West, West Midlands 26,000 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands 24,000 
			 North East 22,000

Shared Ownership Schemes

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people have taken part in Government programmes for  (a) shared and  (b) subsidised home ownership; and what the cost of each such programme has been in each year since introduction.

Iain Wright: The following table shows the outturn expenditure for shared ownership and shared equity schemes provided through the Housing Corporation's Affordable Housing programme since 1997-98 together with the number of homes that have been provided.
	
		
			   Shared ownership  ( million)  Shared equity  ( million)  Shared ownership  (homes provided)  Shared equity  (homes provided) 
			 1997-98 62.0 0.0 4,350 0 
			 1998-99 49.5 0.0 4,244 0 
			 1999-2000 49.0 19.9 2,956 885 
			 2000-01 60.2 35.3 2,551 1,487 
			 2001-02 51.2 36.7 2,211 1,360 
			 2002-03 75.7 108.6 2,315 3,892 
			 2003-04 227.5 266.1 3,550 8,363 
			 2004-05 249.5 213.7 5,741 5,436 
			 2005-06 231.1 314.3 8,637 7,360 
			 2006-07 320.0 91.3 10,954 2,507 
			 2007-08 316.7 83.9 14,780 2,876 
			  Note: Shared ownership commenced in the mid 1980s but we only have reliable expenditure figures from 1997-98.  Source:  Housing Corporation

Sleeping Rough

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps she is taking to end rough sleeping  (a) nationally and  (b) in London; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: We have long recognised that the most visible form of homelessness is that of people sleeping on the streets. In 1998, the then Prime Minister set a target that by 2002 the number of rough sleepers should be reduced by at least two thirds. The target was met ahead of time and is being sustained.
	Clearly there is more to be done to help those in need and to drive down rough sleeping numbers to as close to zero as possible. Therefore, we intend to publish a Rough Sleeping Strategy later this year which builds on our success and looks at what we need to do in the future.
	In addition, we have announced 200 million funding for local authorities and the voluntary sector over the next three years to help prevent homelessness and tackle rough sleeping. This is the biggest ever cash injection for homelessness services, with some 90 million allocated to London alone. We have also funded 258 projects through the 170 million Places of Change programme and its predecessor, 82 of them in London.

Social HomeBuy

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Welwyn, Hatfield of 15 September 2008,  Official Report, column 2086W, on housing: low incomes, 
	(1)  which local authorities and housing associations offer the scheme; and which localities the housing associations cover;
	(2)  which  (a) local authorities and  (b) housing associations in London offer Social Homebuy to their tenants.

Iain Wright: The following local authorities offer the voluntary Social HomeBuy scheme to their tenants: London Boroughs of Camden, Croydon, Hammersmith and Fulham, Islington, Lambeth, Southwark and Wandsworth; and Fareham, Harlow and Waveney District Councils.
	68 housing associations also offer the scheme to their tenants in all nine regions, including in 25 of the 33 London boroughs. The following table shows the housing associations by regions and local authorities.
	
		
			  List of Housing Associations offering Social HomeBuy by local authorities 
			  Region  Local authority  Housing association 
			  East Midlands Ashfield East Midlands 
			  Gedling Accent Nene Ltd. 
			  Leicester Places for People 
			  Lincoln Sanctuary 
			  North West Leicestershire East Midlands 
			  Northampton Servite 
			  Nottingham City Guinness Trust 
			  Wellingborough Places for People 
			
			  Eastern Basildon Guinness Trust 
			   Padington Churches 
			   South Anglia 
			  Bedford Aldwyck 
			  Broadland Wherry 
			  Cambridge Wherry 
			  Colchester Paddington Churches 
			  Dacorum Hightown 
			  East Cambridgeshire Sanctuary 
			  East Hertfordshire Aldwyck 
			   South Anglia 
			  Harlow East Thames Group 
			  Hertsmere Aldwyck 
			  Ipswich Wherry 
			  Kings Lynn and West Norfolk Wherry 
			  Luton South Anglia 
			  North Hertfordshire Paddington Churches 
			  Peterborough Accent Nene Ltd. 
			  South Norfolk Wherry 
			  Southend-on-Sea Estuary 
			  Thurrock Southern Housing Group Ltd. 
			
			  London Barking and Dagenham East Thames Group 
			   Peabody Trust 
			  Bexley Downland 
			   Gallions 
			  Brent Metropolitan Housing Trust 
			   Paddington Churches 
			  Bromley Broomleigh 
			  Camden Community 
			  Croydon Moat House 
			   Peabody Trust 
			   Presentation 
			  Ealing Acton 
			   ASRA Greater London 
			   Catalyst Housing Group Ltd 
			  Greenwich Gallions 
			   Peabody Trust 
			  Hackney Circle 33 
			   Family Mosaic Housing 
			   Guinness Trust 
			  Hammersmith and Fulham Notting Hill 
			  Haringey Circle 33 
			   Peabody Trust 
			   Presentation 
			  Harrow Metropolitan Housing Trust 
			  Havering East Thames Group 
			  Hillingdon Metropolitan Housing Trust 
			   Peabody Trust 
			  Hounslow Places for People 
			  Islington Circle 33 
			   Family Mosaic Housing 
			  Kensington and Chelsea Notting Hill 
			   Octavia Housing 
			  Lambeth Peabody Trust 
			   Presentation 
			  Lewisham London and Quadrant Housing Trust 
			  Newham Asra Greater London 
			   East Thames Group 
			   Southern Housing Group Ltd 
			  Redbridge East Thames Group 
			  Southwark Family Mosaic Housing 
			   Southern Housing Group Ltd 
			  Tower Hamlets East Thames Group 
			   Newlon 
			   Southern Housing Group Ltd 
			  Waltham Forest Circle 33 
			   East Thames Group 
			   Family Mosaic Housing 
			  Wandsworth London and Quadrant Housing Trust 
			  Blyth Valley Places for People 
			  Chester-Le-Street Three Rivers 
			  Darlington Three Rivers 
			  Derwentside Three Rivers 
			  Easington Three Rivers 
			  Gateshead Three Rivers 
			  Hartlepool Housing Hartlepool 
			   Three Rivers 
			  Middlesbrough William Sutton Trust 
			  Newcastle Upon Tyne Guinness Trust 
			   Nomad 
			  North Tyneside Nomad 
			  Redcar and Cleveland Three Rivers 
			  Sedgefield Three Rivers 
			  South Tyneside Three Rivers 
			   William Sutton Trust 
			  Sunderland Home Group Limited 
			   Three Rivers 
			  Teesdale Three Rivers 
			  Wear Valley Three Rivers 
			
			  North West Allerdale Home Group Limited 
			  Barrow-In-Furness Accent Corporate Services 
			  Blackburn Places for People 
			  Burnley Accent Corporate Services Places For People 
			  Chorley Places For People 
			  Copeland Home Group Limited 
			  Crewe and Nantwich Sanctuary 
			  Hyndburn Places For People 
			  Knowsley Knowsley Housing Trust 
			  Liverpool CDS Housing 
			   Contour 
			   Regenda 
			   Riverside 
			  Manchester Contour 
			   Guinness Trust 
			   Manchester Methodist 
			   Places For People 
			  Oldham Manchester Methodist 
			   Regenda 
			  Preston Places For People 
			  Rossendale Places For People 
			  Sefton Greater Hornby 
			   Servite 
			  St. Helens Helena 
			  Tameside Regenda 
			  Wirral Regenda 
			
			  South East Arun Servite 
			  Ashford Moat Homes 
			   Southern Housing Group Ltd. 
			  Aylesbury Vale Hightown 
			  Basingstoke and Deane Sentinel Housing Association Ltd. 
			  Brighton and Hove Southern Housing Group Ltd. 
			  Canterbury Sanctuary 
			  Cherwell Catalyst Housing Group Ltd. 
			  Crawley Guinness Trust 
			  East Hampshire Swaythling 
			  Eastbourne Places For People 
			  Milton Keynes Aldwyck 
			  New Forest Swaythling 
			  Reading Thames Valley 
			  Southampton Swaythling 
			  Test Valley Aster 
			   Testway 
			  Tunbridge Wells Town  Country Housing 
			  Wealden Home Group Limited 
			  West Berkshire Sovereign 
			  Windsor and Maidenhead Swaythling 
			  Worthing Southern Housing Group Ltd. 
			
			  South West Bath and North East Somerset Somer Community 
			   Western Challenge 
			  Bournemouth Western Challenge 
			  Bristol Knightstone 
			   Places For People 
			  Bristol Sovereign 
			  Cheltenham Sanctuary 
			
			  South West Christchurch Western Challenge 
			  Exeter Sovereign 
			   Western Challenge 
			  Gloucester Aster 
			  Mendip Western Challenge 
			  North Cornwall Western Challenge 
			  North Dorset Western Challenge 
			  North Wiltshire Western Challenge 
			  Plymouth Devon  Cornwall 
			   Guinness Trust 
			   Sovereign 
			   Western Challenge 
			  Poole Swaythling 
			   Western Challenge 
			  Salisbury Swaythling 
			  South Gloucestershire Western Challenge 
			  Swindon Western Challenge 
			  Tewkesbury Evesham  Pershore 
			
			  West Midlands Birmingham Bromford 
			   Mercian 
			   Midland Heart 
			   Servite 
			   West Mercia 
			  Coventry Guinness Trust 
			  Lichfield Mercian 
			  Malvern Hills Elgar 
			  Sandwell Accord 
			  Stoke-on-Trent Empowering People 
			   Sanctuary 
			  The Wrekin Wrekin Housing Trust 
			  Wolverhampton Bromford 
			  Worcester City West Mercia 
			  Wychavon Evesham  Pershore 
			   Spa Housing Association 
			  Yorkshire and Humberside Bradford Manningham 
			   Places For People 
			   William Sutton Trust 
			  Kingston Upon Hull Places For People 
			   William Sutton Trust 
			  Leeds William Sutton Trust 
			  Sheffield Places For People 
			  York Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust

Travelling People: Caravan Sites

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library a full copy of the recent Planning Inspectorate ruling in relation to the retrospective planning application for a traveller site in Minety, Wiltshire.

Iain Wright: A copy of the decision (reference APP/J3910/A/08/2064463) has been placed in the Library.

Travelling People: Caravan Sites

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her Department's policy is on small groups of local authorities working together to produce a joint strategy to make provision for Travellers on  (a) a temporary and  (b) a permanent basis; what guidance her Department has issued to local authorities on the matter; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: holding answer 27 October 2008
	The Housing Act 2004 requires local authorities to assess the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers living in and resorting to their area and to act strategically to prepare a strategy in respect of the meeting of such accommodation needs.
	The Department welcomes joint working between local authorities in planning for the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers across local authority and regional boundaries. Many local authorities have already produced their Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessments in partnership with neighbouring areas. Planning policy on Gypsy and Traveller sites is contained within ODPM Circular 01/2006 Planning for Gypsy and Traveller Caravan Sites. This confirms that joint Development Plan Documents can be prepared on a sub-regional basis to identify the location of Gypsy and Traveller sites, so long as there is agreement by all of the local planning authorities involved.

Travelling People: Council Tax

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the period of time is that the Valuation Office Agency uses to determine whether a traveller caravan is too transient for occupation of the caravan to be rated for council tax purposes.

John Healey: It is the transience of the site or pitch that is relevant, not the transience of the occupation. Where a Traveller's caravan occupies a non-established site or pitch for a period materially less than 12 months, with no sign of likely future use, this will generally be regarded as too transient to establish the pitch as a dwelling. For established sites or pitches, even if the occupier changes often, a banding will apply and liability to council tax will remain.

Urban Areas: Parking

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the effect of prices for town centre parking on town centre regeneration and town centre economies.

Iain Wright: The Secretary of State has made no such assessment. Our expectation is that local authorities will, where appropriate, develop car parking strategies, which address issues like pricing, as part of their preparation of local transport plans and broader regeneration and economic development activities.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Attorney-General: Trade Unions

Mark Hoban: To ask the Solicitor-General how many civil servants in the Attorney-General's Office were seconded to work for  (a) trade unions and  (b) the Trades Union Congress in each year since 2003.

Vera Baird: None.

CPS Direct

David Ruffley: To ask the Solicitor-General what the target response time is for answering calls to CPS Direct; what the average response time was for calls in each of the last five years; and how many calls were made in each year.

Vera Baird: CPS Direct has collated data on response times to the police since September 2004. From April 2005, a target was set to answer 90 per cent. of calls within 15 seconds. The number of calls answered, charging advices given and response times since that date have been as follows:
	
		
			   Total calls received  Total charging advices  Successful call rate (percentage)  Percentage calls answered in under 15 seconds (target 90 per cent.)  Average response time for all calls answered (seconds) 
			 2004-05(1) 74,088 38,076 51.4  47.37 
			 2005-06 157,511 96,108 61.0 85.7 35.11 
			 2006-07 183,034 127,911 69.9 82.3 32.18 
			 2007-08 171,426 135,813 79.2 93.2 22.42 
			 2008-09(2, 3) 88,568 73,066 82.5 87.4 24.32 
			 (1 )Seven months from September 2004. (2 )Six months to September 2008 (3 )The projected full year totals for 2008-09 are:  Total calls received: 177-178,000; Total charging advices: 146-147,000

CPS Direct

David Ruffley: To ask the Solicitor-General what the annual running costs of CPS Direct are; how many staff CPS Direct employs, including duty prosecutors; and what the annual expenditure on staff was in each of the last five years.

Vera Baird: The annual budget for CPS Direct for the last five years is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Total budget () 
			 2004-05 5,206,820 
			 2005-06 9,236,400 
			 2006-07 11,842,400 
			 2007-08 12,787,356 
			 2008-09 13,545,072 
		
	
	As at 24 October 2008, CPS Direct employs 123.5 duty prosecutors, 12 legal managers, four senior managers and 11 central support staff.
	The annual expenditure on the staff of CPS Direct over the last five years is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   
			   Duty prosecutors  Central support team  Total 
			 2004-05 4,515,597 140,587 4,656,184 
			 2005-06 8,560,402 250,708 8,811,110 
			 2006-07 10,885,243 318,434 11,203,677 
			 2007-08 12,015,065 330,753 12,345,818 
			 2008-09(1) 12,725,673 367,351 13,093,024 
			 (1) Budget.

CPS Direct

David Ruffley: To ask the Solicitor-General in how many Crown Prosecution Service areas Crown Prosecution Direct is fully operational.

Vera Baird: Since 1 April 2006, CPS Direct has operated nationally across all CPS areas in England and Wales.

Criminal Proceedings

David Ruffley: To ask the Solicitor-General in how many and what percentage of cases  (a) a guilty plea was registered and  (b) a conviction resulted in (i) Crown Courts and (ii) magistrates courts in each of the last 10 years; and if she will make a statement.

Vera Baird: The following tables show, for each of the last 10 years, the number of defendants whose case was completed in magistrates courts and in the Crown court, together with the number and proportion which resulted in a conviction and in an unsuccessful outcome.
	Convictions are divided into those cases in which the defendant pleaded guilty, and those convicted after trial. Additionally, convictions in magistrates courts include those proceedings, mostly minor motoring matters, which were proved in the absence of the defendant. Unsuccessful outcomes comprise all outcomes other than a conviction.
	Against a background of falling crime, and hence of falling case loads, convictions in magistrates courts rose from. 76.8 per cent. of completed cases in 1998-99 to 85.7 per cent. in 2007-08. In the Crown court, convictions rose over the same period from 77.8 per cent. to 79.3 per cent. These figures illustrate the growing success of the CPS in ensuring that offenders are brought to justice. In particular, the decisive trend towards rising conviction rates over the last five years underlines the positive benefits of Statutory Charging, under which the CPS is responsible for determining the charges in all more serious, complex, and contested cases, particularly those in which the liberty of the individual is at risk.
	
		
			  Crown court 
			   Guilty pleas  %  Conviction after trial  %  Total convictions  %  Unsuccessful outcomes  %  Total prosecutions 
			 1998-99 59,374 66.2 10,378 11.6 69,752 77.8 19,892 22.2 89,644 
			 1999-2000 55,407 63.8 10,530 12.1 65,937 75.9 20,894 24.1 86,831 
			 2000 -01 51,596 62.5 9,820 11.9 61,416 74.4 21,183 25.6 82,599 
			 2001-02 51,824 61.5 9,925 11.8 61,749 73.2 22,575 26.8 84,324 
			 2002-03 58,624 62.0 11,613 12.3 70,237 74.3 24,309 25.7 94,546 
			 2003-04 59,537 62.5 11,255 11.8 70,792 74.3 24,436 25.7 95,228 
			 2004-05 58,222 64.1 10,059 11.1 68,281 75.1 22,609 24.9 90,890 
			 2005-06 60,252 67.0 8,734 9.7 68,986 76.7 20,984 23.3 89,970 
			 2006-07 60,918 68.1 8,200 9.2 69,118 77.3 20,290 22.7 89,408 
			 2007-08 69,242 71.4 7,705 7.9 76,947 79.3 20,045 20.7 96,992 
		
	
	
		
			  Magistrates court 
			   Guilty pleas  %  Proofs in absence  %  Conviction after trial  %  Total convictions  %  Unsuccess ful outcomes  %  Total prosecutions 
			 1998-99 811,335 64.3 113,426 9.0 43,993 3.5 968,754 76.8 292,106 23.2 1,260,860 
			 1999-2000 824,888 64.5 117,396 9.2 40,163 3.1 982,447 76.8 297,146 23.2 1,279,593 
			 2000-01 774,453 64.0 116,953 9.7 35,117 2.9 926,523 76.5 284,124 23.5 1,210,647 
			 2001-02 781,878 64.2 114,509 9.4 33,251 2.7 929,638 76.4 287,743 23.6 1,217,381 
			 2002-03 811,583 63.9 126,518 10.0 35,834 2.8 973,935 76.7 295,728 23.3 1,269,663 
			 2003-04 800,525 63.4 152,757 12.1 40,167 3.2 993,449 78.7 268,376 21.3 1,261,825 
			 2004-05 716,082 62.2 169,681 14.7 42,432 3.7 928,195 80.6 223,709 19.4 1,151,904 
			 2005-06 674,925 63.2 168,874 15.8 38,038 3.6 881,837 82.6 185,524 17.4 1,067,361 
			 2006-07 646,181 65.4 150,741 15.3 34,979 3.5 831,901 84.2 156,080 15.8 987,981 
			 2007-08 652,018 67.5 139,618 14.4 36,899 3.8 828,535 85.7 138,091 14.3 966,626

Crown Prosecution Service: Standards

David Taylor: To ask the Solicitor-General what recent representations she has received on the performance of the Crown Prosecution Service; and if she will make a statement.

Vera Baird: The Attorney-General and I maintain an active overview of the performance of the CPS, and carefully consider all representations received. In addition to the CPS' published Performance Management Information, HM Crown Prosecution Inspectorate reports to the Attorney-General on particular aspects of CPS performance and on its regular inspections of each CPS area. To ensure that we have an opportunity to discuss any performance issues, as well as wider policy questions, we have frequent meetings with the DPP and chief executive. The CPS has, of course, a full complaints procedure, which the Attorney-General oversees, and MPs have the opportunity to raise with me any aspect of the CPS' performance which causes them concern.

Departmental Official Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Solicitor-General how much was spent on overnight accommodation by Law Officers Departments officials in the last 12 months.

Vera Baird: The following table shows the amount spent on overnight accommodation for the last 12 months, for civil servants within the Law Officers' Departments:
	
		
			   Total cost of overnight accommodation () 
			 Attorney-General's Office 5,534.78 
			 Crown Prosecution Service (1)1,384,269 
			 Serious Fraud Office 243,041.84 
			 Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office 112,096.86 
			 Treasury Solicitors Department and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (1)26,750 
			 (1) This includes some night subsistence and other allowances, which cannot be readily separated from the costs of overnight accommodation.

Departmental Older Workers

David Simpson: To ask the Solicitor-General how many people aged over  (a) 55 and  (b) 60 years were recruited by her Department in 2007-08; and what percentage in each case this was of the number of new recruits.

Vera Baird: The number of people recruited over the ages of 55 and 60 in 2007-08 is illustrated in the following table.
	
		
			   (a) Over 55  (b) Over 60 
			   Number of new recruits in 2007-08  Percentage of total new recruits  Number of new recruits in 2007-08  Percentage of total new recruits 
			 Attorney-General's Office 0 0 0 0 
			 Treasury Solicitor's Department 2 1.8 1 0.9 
			 Crown Prosecution Service 31 4 13 1.6 
			 Serious Fraud Office 2 4.88 0 0 
			 Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office 0 0 0 0 
			 HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate 1 16.67 0 0

Departmental Security

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Solicitor-General how many security passes have been reported  (a) lost and  (b) stolen by staff in (i) the Attorney-General's Office and (ii) the agency sponsored by the Office in each year since 2001.

Vera Baird: The following table shows the number of passes lost and stolen by staff in the Law Officers' Departments since 2001.
	
		
			   Attorney-General's Office( 1)  Treasury Solicitor's Department( 2)  Crown Prosecution Service  Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office( 3)  HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate( 4)  Serious Fraud Office 
			   Lost  Stolen  Lost  Stolen  Lost  Stolen  Lost  Stolen  Lost  Stolen  Lost  Stolen 
			 2001 12 2 12 1 
			 2002 3 3 5 3 
			 2003 2 47 5 0 
			 2004 3 51 5 0 
			 2005   8 5 1 2 10 0 
			 2006   49 2 8 22   2 0 8 0 
			 2007 3 0 166 7 5 7 4 1 3 0 16 2 
			 2008 3 0 105 2 3 5   
			 (1) Prior to 2007, this was recorded by the Treasury Solicitor's Department. (2) Figures are not available before August 2005. (3) Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO) came into being on 18 April 2005 and until November 2007, the control of building security passes was the responsibility of HM Revenue and Customs. RCPO does not have access to their records. (4) HMCPSI figures are calculated for 2006-07 and 2007-08.

Fraud

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Solicitor-General how many cases of fraud exceeding 1 million the Fraud Prosecution Service has handled since September 2006.

Vera Baird: The Fraud Prosecution Service does not routinely record this information. To obtain it, by reference to individual case files, would incur disproportionate cost (Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, part 2, clause 9).

Fraud

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Solicitor-General how many cases have been referred to the Joint Vetting Committee since the Fraud Prosecution Service's formation in September 2006.

Vera Baird: The Fraud Prosecution Service has not referred any cases to the Joint Vetting Committee since September 2006. One case was referred to the Joint Vetting Committee in early 2006 during the formation period of the Fraud Prosecution Service.

Fraud

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Solicitor-General what assessment she has made of the likely effect of the expansion of the City of London's Economic Crime Department on the flow of cases to the Serious Fraud Office.

Vera Baird: The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has worked closely with the City of London police (CoLP) for many years. Both organisations collaborate on many levels, from full joint working on cases, to sharing specialist expertise and skills. This is not expected to change following the expansion of the CoLP's economic crime department. Moreover, as the SFO continues its transformation programme, it is continually building on its relationships with other organisations and will continue to work closely with the CoLP.
	The SFO will continue to work on those cases that are proper to its remit, that is, cases involving serious or complex fraud and corruption. It will also continue to forge links with other organisations, supporting them as required with specialist expertise.

Fraud

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Solicitor-General what the cost to the Serious Fraud Office was of reviewing 36 Fraud Prosecution Service case files for Her Majesty's Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate's Review of the Fraud Prosecution Service.

Vera Baird: A member of staff was seconded to the team at Her Majesty's Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) and there was no additional cost to the organisation outside of the normal remuneration.

Law Officers' Department: Temporary Employment

Mark Hoban: To ask the Solicitor-General which companies were used by the Law Officers' Departments for providing temporary staff in each of the last five years; and what the value of contracts with each such company was in each of those years.

Vera Baird: The following table show the companies that have been used by the Attorney-General's Office, Treasury Solicitors Department (TSol) and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate for providing temporary staff in each of the last five financial years (records for these three Departments are held centrally by TSol and cannot be separated without incurring a disproportionate cost):
	
		
			  Company  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 AT Kearney Ltd. 9,000 
			 Abraxas Plc   30,000 46,000 144,000 
			 Adecco UK Ltd 843,000 683,000 956,000 1,104,000 1,349,000 
			 Allen Lane Financial Recruitment Consultants23,000 58,000 
			 Angela Mortimer Plc  5,000 410,000 1,065,000 1,118,000 
			 Anvil Communications Ltd. 100,000 
			 Aptus Personnel Ltd. 10,000 
			 ASA group 50,000 18,000
			 Austin Benn Consultants Ltd,36,000 42,000 
			 Badenoch andClark 806,000 815,000 848,000 1,402,000 1,460,000 
			 Barnett Personnel Ltd. 38,000 
			 Bevan Brittan LLP32,000 44,000 
			 Blue Arrow Ltd. 48,000 39,000 41,000 4,000  
			 Brook Street (UK) Ltd. 75,000 133,000 60,000 34,000 3,000 
			 Capita Health Solutions Ltd.1,000  
			 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 22,000 26,000 12,000 33,000 40,000 
			 Capita SHG Resourcing 25,000 82,000 1,000  42,000 
			 Cilip Government Libraries Group  1,000
			 City Centre Recruitment 1,000 
			 Consult RS Ltd. 387,000 328,000 214,000 168,000 172,000 
			 Crown Costs Consultants Ltd 23,000 
			 Dickinson Dees 72,000 
			 Elan Computing Ltd. 514,000 571,000 506,000 297,000 161,000 
			 Erminia Business Services Ltd. 22,000 
			 Eurobase People Industry Leading Resources28,000 42,000 
			 Financial Services Authority 3,000 
			 Generic Software Consultants Ltd. 5,000 10,000
			 Geoff Farmer  Co Ltd. 9,000 
			 George Harrington  Co 7,00040,000 
			 Glotel International Ltd. 20,000 93,000 116,000 101,000 86,000 
			 Hassell Free Filing 1,000 
			 Hays Accountancy Personnel  1,000 22,000 6,000  
			 Hays Construction and Property  12,000 45,000 9,000 66,000 
			 Hewitson Walker 181,000 351,000 77,000 262,000 681,000 
			 HSBC Invoice Finance (UK) Ltd. 4,000 
			 Hudson Global Resources 118,000 182,000 220,000 112,000 323,000 
			 Hudson Shribman 60,000 58,000 66,000 100,000 43,000 
			 Huntress Recruitment Specialists 22,000 4,000 43,000 48,000 22,000 
			 Jonathan Wren   2,000   
			 Josephine Sammons Ltd. 132,000 145,000 102,000 134,000 150,000 
			 Kelly Services (UK) Ltd.   15,000 12,000  
			 Law Temps Agency 32,000 
			 Lawson Bishop Financial21,000 1,000 
			 M.J.D. Costs Consultancy 2,000 
			 Manchester City Council20,000  
			 Mark Pearson Communications Ltd.   5,000 20,000 51,000 
			 MG Morton 5,000 
			 Michael Page UK Ltd. 98,000 31,000
			 Office Angels Ltd. 14,000 27,000 31,000   
			 Opus Personnel (City) Ltd. 498,000 524,000 201,000 13,000  
			 Page Personnel 3,000 3,000 22,000 52,000 75,000 
			 Parity Resources Ltd. 11,000 
			 Parity Training Ltd. 31,000 
			 Paymaster (1836) Ltd. 3,000 
			 Pro Law 64,000 36,000
			 Quo Imus Ltd.32,000 71,000 
			 Raymond W. Bone 8,000 
			 Robert Half Ltd. 5,000 
			 SFW Ltd.  25,000 47,000   
			 Staple Inn Recruitment Ltd. 528,000 517,000 345,000 275,000 120,000 
			 Step Ahead  8,000 82,000 14,000 12,000 
			 Stephanie Grundy 16,000 
			 Stopgap Ltd.   44,000 32,000  
			 Sue Corbin 8,000 
			 TFPL Ltd. 9,000 13,000 22,000 25,000 21,000 
			 The Chartered Inst of Lib. and info. Profession 37,000 22,000
			 Venn Group 19,000 
			 Williams Lea Facilities Management Ltd. 83,000 
			 Total 4,771,000 4,765,000 4,589,000 5,559,000 6,747,000 
		
	
	The following table show the companies that have been used by the Crown Prosecution Service for providing temporary staff in each of the last five financial years:
	
		
			  Company  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Barnett Personnel 270,326 250,828
			 Hudson Global Resources Ltd. 206,781  277,770 144,575 55,763 
			 Capita Business Services Ltd. 182,599 82,089
			 Michael Page International 159,408 
			 Office Angels 106,692 114,876 71,483 128,081 116,700 
			 Brook Street (UK) Ltd. 96,257 287,793 656,079 639,296 299,402 
			 Pathway It Resourcing 74,542 
			 Parity Resources Ltd. 73,588 
			 Robert Walters London 70,523 164,530 194,850 96,587  
			 Generic Software Consultants 62,693 
			 Kelly Services (UK) Ltd. 59,287 93,059
			 Hays Accountancy Personnel 54,634 264,835 408,775 588,573 341,325 
			 Hudson Global Resources Ltd.  335,952
			 Reed Employment Plc  186,002 747,667 511,233 160,244 
			 Adecco UK Ltd.  175,387 386,444 243,555 50,376 
			 Select Appointments Plc  128,316 107,068   
			 Manpower UK Ltd.  128,033 200,140 143,086  
			 Parity Resources Ltd.  101,236 164,107 177,563  
			 Eclipse Organisation Ltd.  87,213 75,651   
			 First Choice Recruitment  83,294
			 Step Ahead  65,063
			 Pro Ltd.  60,958
			 Pertemps Group of Companies  60,900
			 Quality Technology Solutions Ltd.  57,558
			 Reigate Thorn Baker Ltd. Nottingham  50,569
			 Praxis   259,763 74,891  
			 Morgan Law Recruitment Consultancy Ltd.   176,065 131,652  
			 Capita Resourcing Ltd.   114,014 163,830 52,342 
			 Whitgift Solutions Ltd.   55,799 55,589  
			 Essex Police Authority141,167  
			 MSB International71,483 75,636 
			 Badenoch and Clark63,621  
			 Nesco IT Altrincham 72,611 
			 Reed Personnel Services Plc 54,434 
			 Employment Plus Ltd. 50,689 
			 Cranleigh QI Consulting London SE1 50,587 
			 Total 1,.417,330 2,778,491 3,895,675 3,347,782 1,380,109 
			  Note:  2004-05 figures include payments from 1 August only; data for the full financial year, and earlier years, could be obtained only at disproportionate cost due to changes in the Department's finance systems. Data for 2008-09 are for the six months to 30 September 2008. 
		
	
	The following table show the companies that have been used by the Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO) for providing temporary staff in each of the last five financial years:
	
		
			  Company  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Allen Lane Financial Recruitment Consultants  6,544 62,016 50,282 
			 Amanda Smith Recruitment   16,520 11,634 
			 Badenoch and Clark 18,040 26,724 30,152  
			 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 48,857 89,676 394  
			 City Centre Recruitment 129,707 568,495 616,464 374,945 
			 Hudson Global Resources Ltd.  124,701 296,641 28,463 
			 Josephine Sammons Ltd.  5,374 32,714 14,230 
			 Law Absolute Ltd.   79,776 13,608 
			 Page Personnel   1,563 9,323 
			 Robert Half Ltd.   10,125 6,462 
			 Sue Hill Recruitment and Services Ltd.   16,290 16,153 
			 Systems Accountants Ltd.  12,549 46,596 5,752 
			 TFPL Ltd.  5,740 6,110 10,575 
			 Total 196,603 839,804 1,215,630 541,609 
			  Note:  RCPO came into being on 18 April 2005

Law Officers' Department: Recruitment

Mark Hoban: To ask the Solicitor-General how many civil servants in the Law Officers' Departments were recruited through the fast stream; and what the average salary of those officials is.

Vera Baird: The Law Officers' Departments do not have any staff recruited through the fast stream.
	Statistics on intake into the Fast Stream as a whole are published annually at
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/reports/faststream.
	Copies are available in the Library for the reference of Members.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Adult Education

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what plans he has for the future use of lifelong learning networks; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: The Government and the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), which funds the lifelong learning networks, are committed to the ongoing sustainability of their work. HEFCE has now invested approximately 105 million across 2005-11 in 30 LLNs.
	The Government and HEFCE are in no doubt about the value of LLNs. Their focus on progression and widening opportunity means that they can make an important contribution to a number of the Government's strategic objectives including lifelong learning, credit transfer, articulation arrangements between higher education programmes and the qualifications and credit framework, employer engagement and workplace learning, and progression from the 14-19 diplomas.
	HEFCE's intention from the start was, and remains, that the initiatives of the LLNs must become embedded in the core business of institutions in order to survive long term. Each LLN was obliged to set out in its business case how it would meet longer term sustainability costs. HEFCE's arrangements for funding the LLNs sought explicitly to help institutions to work collaboratively by putting in place a number of processes and procedures. Although the early stages of this work were bound to be time consuming and expensive, HEFCE expects core LLN commitments to become part of the routine for partners as relationships and structures develop.
	The extent of LLN continuing activity will depend on how embedded each network becomes and that, in the end, depends on the commitment of the partner institutions. HEFCE has already acknowledged that networks may require additional time and space to plan a phased approach to sustainability, and LLNs have therefore been invited to re-profile the latter phases of their HEFCE funding. There should also be opportunities for LLNs to contribute more fully in key strategic areas such as employer engagement, for which they could potentially access further substantial resources from HEFCE.

Adult Education: Finance

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what assessment he has made of the effects on participation rates on concessionary fees in adult education under the age discrimination regulations.

Si�n Simon: The Government are committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all learners, and that learning serves the needs of the whole community, including older people both within and outside the workforce. Our strategy for world class skills and our reforms of wider adult learning are designed to ensure that everyone, whatever their age or background, has the opportunity to improve their skills, prospects and quality of life.
	Protection from discrimination on grounds of age was introduced in the area of employment and vocational training through the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006. The Regulations mean that further education and training providers are not allowed to set age limits for access to training unless they can show objective justification why there is a real need to apply such limits, The Government has decided that all courses at further and higher education institutions are covered by the age regulations, whether they are specifically vocational or more general in nature. This ensures that there is a unified and consistent approach to age-related practices and policies in relation to all such provision.
	Fee concessions for further education provision are offered at the discretion (and cost) of individual colleges and other FE providers, such as local authorities, and I must stress that the regulations do not bar providers from offering these fee discounts. Many colleges and other providers have longstanding, formal, informal and discretionary arrangements based on age when deciding eligibility for fee concessions, and it will continue to be the learning provider's decision as to whether to offer these subsidies to individuals. As a result, neither my Department nor the Learning and Skills Council holds information on those learners who receive these concessions.
	I refer the hon. Member to my written statement of 16 May 2007,  Official Report, column 35WS:
	Guidance on the vocational training aspects of the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations is available on the DTI website. It is aimed at, amongst others, providers of further and adult education. The guidance makes it clear that age related practices, such as age related fee concessions, may be objectively justified where they are a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. It is for providers to produce evidence of such objective justification if called upon to do so, or to take their own legal advice if necessary. Guidance on objective justification is also available on page 30 of the ACAS guidance on the Age Regulations.

Aimhigher Programme

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many staff are employed full-time on the Aimhigher programme.

David Lammy: Information on the number of people who are employed by Aimhigher partnerships is not held centrally. Regions and areas have also taken different approaches to the employment of staff. In some areas, there are full-time dedicated Aimhigher co-ordinators, while in others Aimhigher is part of a larger job role. A number of staff in HE institutions, schools and colleges are also involved in the programme for part of their time, including those teachers and lecturers who deliver summer schools, masterclasses and other activities.

Departmental Surveys

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will place in the Library copies of  (a) surveys taken among his Department's employees since its inception and  (b) written analysis of their findings.

Si�n Simon: The Department is currently undertaking the first all-staff survey since its creation on 28 June 2007 under machinery of government changes. The results of the survey will be published on the DIUS website when the survey is completed.

GCE A-level

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to the answer of 1 September 2008,  Official Report, column 1504W, on GCSE A-Level, if he will place in the Library the same data for  (a) 2002-03,  (b) 2003-04,  (c) 2004-05,  (d) 2005-06 and  (e) 2007-08.

Jim Knight: I have been asked to reply.
	The information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Higher Education: Finance

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what plans the Government has to  (a) simplify higher education funding and  (b) increase the transparency of higher education funding.

David Lammy: The principles upon which public funding for higher education is allocated are transparent even if they are not always simple. Any system of higher education funding which is fit-for-purpose has to start by recognising the diversity of both students, providers and sources of fundingboth public and private. We are in the middle of a debate with both providers and users of higher education to establish a long term framework for higher education against which future options for the shape of higher education funding, including decisions on tuition fee and student support arrangements, can properly be assessed.

Higher Education: Research

Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much quality- related funding has been awarded to each of the UK's universities since 2002.

David Lammy: Higher education funding is a devolved matter. Within England, quality-related research funding (QR) is allocated and distributed by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).
	The following table sets out QR funding from HEFCE from 2002/03 to 2008/09.
	Figures are in cash terms, and include late grant adjustments, and reflect mergers. Figures exclude research capability funds.
	
		
			   million 
			  Institution name  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Anglia Ruskin University 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.3 
			 Aston University 4.7 5.0 5.6 6.3 6.9 7.0 6.8 
			 University of Bath 11.8 12.7 13.4 16.3 17.5 18.0 18.7 
			 Bath Spa University 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 
			 University of Bedfordshire 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 
			 Birkbeck College 6.4 6.8 7.2 8.8 9.5 9.8 9.8 
			 University of Birmingham 29.3 32.8 34.1 37.9 41.0 42.8 44.1 
			 BCU 1.0 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.9 0.8 
			 University of Bolton 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 
			 Bournemouth University 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.4 
			 University of Bradford 5.4 5.5 5.9 6.4 6.6 6.7 7.0 
			 University of Brighton 3.3 3.5 3.4 4.1 4.4 4.6 4.7 
			 University of Bristol 28.8 31.3 32.5 37.9 41.3 43.2 44.6 
			 Brunel University 6.2 6.3 6.6 7.6 8.1 8.3 8.1 
			 Buckinghamshire New University 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 University of Cambridge 67.8 77.4 82.0 92.4 99.7 107.1 111.6 
			 Institute of Cancer Research 8.6 9.7 10.7 12.5 14.1 16.2 19.4 
			 Canterbury Christ Church University 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 University of Central Lancashire 0.9 0.8 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 0.8 
			 University of Chester 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 University of Chichester 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 City University, London 4.9 4.5 4.6 5.2 5.9 6.1 6.4 
			 Courtauld Institute of Art 1.2 1.1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.3 
			 Coventry University 0.9 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.6 
			 Cranfield University 4.7 4.2 4.3 5.5 5.6 9.6 9.8 
			 University for the Creative Arts 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 University of Cumbria 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 De Montfort University 4.2 3.3 3.4 3.6 3.8 4.1 4.1 
			 University of Derby 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 University of Durham 15.9 17.2 17.6 21.4 23.1 23.7 23.9 
			 University of East Anglia 11.0 12.3 12.5 14.1 15.1 15.5 15.3 
			 University of East London 1.4 1.2 1.2 1.4 1.5 1.5 1.5 
			 Edge Hill University 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Institute of Education 5.2 6.1 6.4 7.6 8.2 8.5 8.7 
			 University of Essex 7.6 8.3 8.5 9.8 10.5 11.0 11.3 
			 University of Exeter 9.2 10.2 10.8 12.9 13.6 14.2 14.6 
			 University College Falmouth 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 
			 University of Gloucestershire 0.9 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.4 
			 Goldsmiths College 6.2 6.3 6.4 7.7 8.1 8.4 8.6 
			 University of Greenwich 1.9 1.1 1.0 1.1 1.0 1.3 1.3 
			 Harper Adams University College 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 University of Hertfordshire 2.1 1.5 1.6 2.0 2.2 2.4 2.5 
			 University of Huddersfield 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.5 1.5 
			 University of Hull 5.1 4.8 4.8 5.8 6.0 6.2 6.3 
			 Imperial College 60.7 69.7 71.6 82.4 85.6 91.8 97.7 
			 Keele University 4.8 4.7 4.8 6.2 6.7 6.8 6.8 
			 University of Kent 5.6 5.4 5.5 7.2 7.7 8.0 8.1 
			 King's College London 37.5 40.8 42.5 48.9 52.9 58.4 60.0 
			 Kingston University 1.2 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.9 0.9 0.9 
			 Lancaster University 11.9 12.7 13.2 15.8 17.2 17.7 17.7 
			 University of Leeds 31.0 34.9 36.0 42.1 45.7 46.9 48.5 
			 Leeds Metropolitan University 0.7 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.2 
			 Leeds Trinity and All Saints 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 University of Leicester 12.6 12.8 13.6 16.1 17.7 18.4 18.8 
			 University of Lincoln 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 University of Liverpool 21.7 22.6 23.1 26.3 28.4 29.8 32.5 
			 Liverpool Hope University 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 
			 Liverpool John Moores University 2.3 1.7 1.8 2.0 2.2 2.3 2.2 
			 University of the Arts London 6.4 7.0 7.1 8.7 9.4 9.7 9.7 
			 University of London 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.1 
			 London Business School 3.3 3.4 3.3 4.2 4.6 4.7 4.7 
			 London Sch. of Economics and Political Sci 11.9 13.2 13.8 16.3 17.6 18.1 18.3 
			 London Sch. of Hygiene and Tropical Med. 4.7 6.0 6.2 6.8 7.8 10.4 10.7 
			 London Metropolitan University 0.8 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 
			 London South Bank University 1.7 1.1 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.3 
			 Loughborough University 11.0 11.3 12.2 14.3 15.2 15.6 16.2 
			 University of Manchester 51.8 58.1 60.6 68.9 74.3 77.0 82.2 
			 Manchester Metropolitan University 3.2 2.4 2.5 2.9 3.0 3.1 3.1 
			 Middlesex University 1.8 1.0 1.0 1.2 1.1 1.2 1.2 
			 University of Newcastle 22.9 25.9 26.6 30.7 32.1 32.9 34.0 
			 Newman University College 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 University of Northampton 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 
			 Northumbria University 1.3 0.8 0.8 1.0 1.1 1.3 1.2 
			 Norwich University College of the Arts 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 University of Nottingham 25.3 28.8 30.1 34.0 37.0 39.3 40.7 
			 Nottingham Trent University 2.7 2.3 2.3 2.5 2.5 2.6 2.3 
			 Open University 6.2 5.6 5.8 7.2 7.7 7.9 7.4 
			 School of Oriental and African Studies 4.6 5.1 5.1 6.1 6.6 6.8 7.6 
			 University of Oxford 64.9 76.0 79.6 90.2 97.5 104.2 110.1 
			 Oxford Brookes University 2.1 1.7 1.7 2.2 2.3 2.5 2.5 
			 School of Pharmacy 2.0 2.3 2.4 2.7 3.0 3.0 3.3 
			 University of Plymouth 3.0 2.4 2.5 3.0 3.2 3.4 3.4 
			 University College Plymouth 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 University of Portsmouth 3.3 3.3 3.6 4.0 4.0 4.1 4.3 
			 Queen Mary, University of London 12.7 13.5 14.2 18.0 22.0 24.2 24.8 
			 University of Reading 16.4 17.2 17.3 20.7 22.0 22.6 22.3 
			 Roehampton University 1.0 0.7 0.8 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 
			 Rose Bruford College 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Royal Academy of Music 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 
			 Royal Agricultural College 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Royal College of Art 2.0 2.2 2.2 2.5 2.6 2.8 2.9 
			 Royal College of Music 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.3 
			 Royal Holloway, University of London 9.5 10.5 11.0 13.1 13.9 14.3 14.5 
			 Royal Northern College of Music 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 
			 Royal Veterinary College 2.4 2.8 3.0 3.8 4.1 4.6 4.9 
			 St. George's Hospital Medical School 3.4 3.1 3.1 3.5 5.2 7.3 7.5 
			 St. Mary's University College 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 
			 University of Salford 5.7 5.7 5.8 7.3 7.7 7.9 7.6 
			 University of Sheffield 30.2 34.4 35.8 40.2 42.6 43.8 44.6 
			 Sheffield Hallam University 3.0 2.8 2.8 3.4 3.7 3.7 3.8 
			 University of Southampton 31.0 34.3 36.0 41.7 44.4 45.6 46.7 
			 Southampton Solent University 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Staffordshire University 0.8 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.6 
			 University of Sunderland 1.4 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 0.9 
			 University of Surrey 14.2 14.3 15.2 16.5 17.5 18.0 18.0 
			 University of Sussex 11.8 13.7 14.1 16.4 17.4 17.9 17.3 
			 University of Teesside 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 
			 Thames Valley University 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 University College London 66.8 77.3 81.5 93.0 97.6 101.3 104.1 
			 University of Warwick 20.0 21.8 22.6 27.7 29.8 30.6 30.5 
			 University of West of England, Bristol 2.1 1.2 1.2 1.4 1.4 1.7 1.8 
			 University of Westminster 2.1 1.6 1.6 1.8 1.9 2.0 2.0 
			 University of Winchester 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2 
			 University of Wolverhampton 0.7 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.2 
			 University of Worcester 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Writtle College 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 University of York 14.5 16.7 17.6 21.0 22.8 23.4 24.0 
			 York St. John University 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 England total 940.1 1,019.4 1,060.5 1,227.5 1,318.6 1,390.6 1,436.0

Overseas Students

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  which 50  (a) universities and  (b) further education colleges had the highest number of non-European Union students registered for courses in the last year for which figures are available; and how many such students were registered at each;
	(2)  how many students have been enrolled in full-time higher education courses at English universities and colleges in each year since 1990; how many of those originated in  (a) EU member states other than the UK and  (b) non-EU countries; and how many students from EU countries other than the UK studied at university in England in each year since 1997;
	(3)  which universities had over 5 per cent. of their student intake from non-EU nationals in each of the last five years;
	(4)  how many non-EU national students there are at each university in England.

David Lammy: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.

Scholarships: Overseas Students

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much has been spent on each publicly funded international student scholarship programme for which he is responsible in each of the last five years; and how much is to be spent on each programme in 2008-09.

David Lammy: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills funds scholarships for PhD students from the developing world through the Dorothy Hodgkin awards. DIUS (previously DTI Office of Science and Technology) has directly contributed 525,000 since 2005, including 131,250 in 2008/09. This contributes towards the total of 23.565 million that research councils have funded through the Dorothy Hodgkins scheme from 2004-08. DIUS has also contributed 400,000 per year towards the FCO's Chevening scholarships for the past five years, including this year. DIUS has earmarked, but not yet spent:
	800,000 for Commonwealth Scholarships for the academic years 2009/10 and 2010/11
	13.4 million over the current spending period for Newton Fellowships.

Students: Fees and Charges

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of the annual costs that would accrue to the public purse from the abolition of fees for students in higher education in the UK.

David Lammy: Total income from tuition fees was worth 5.4 billion to UK higher education institutions in 2006/07 the latest year for which data is available. It would cost the taxpayer at least that amount each year if tuition fees were abolished for all students in higher education in the UK and the Government decided to compensate institutions for the loss of income on a pound for pound basis. The Government believe that in view of the personal financial returns to higher education, those who benefit from participating in higher education should also make a contribution to its costs.

Teachers: Training

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the annual cost to his Department was of the funding of  (a) post graduate certificate in education courses and  (b) undergraduate B.Ed courses in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department for Children, Schools and Families pays grant in aid to the Training and Development Agency for Schools to help fund undergraduate and postgraduate teacher training courses in England. Total TDA funding to initial teacher training providers for trainee teachers registered on postgraduate and undergraduate courses for the last three years is as follows:
	
		
			   
			  Academic year  Postgraduate  Undergraduate 
			 2005/06 130,026,255 97,870,244 
			 2006/07 133,730,293 105,393,779 
			 2007/08 135,741,362 108,507,369 
			  Notes: 1. Postgraduate courses include School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT). 2. Undergraduate courses include all degrees leading to Qualified Teacher Status, including BEd, BA with QTS and BSc with QTS.

Teachers: Training

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many and what proportion of students on an initial teacher training course were eligible for a bursary in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: I have been asked to reply.
	Training bursaries are payable to eligible trainees on mainstream postgraduate courses of initial teacher training. In 2006/07 there were 23,920 first-year postgraduates on mainstream courses eligible for the bursary. That figure represented 61 per cent. of the total teachers in training in that year.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Academies: Trade Unions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether it is his policy that academies should recognise trades unions; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Academy trusts are subject to the same employment law requirements as any other employer.
	In the 2007 academies prospectus we stated that:
	As a good employer we would expect Academies to recognise staff Associations.

Alderman Blaxhill School: Colchester

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 14 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1104W, on the Alderman Blaxhill school, Colchester, if he will list the full itinerary for which the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools and Learners undertook on his visit to Colchester in September 2008.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: My predecessor, Lord Adonis, held a short introductory meeting with the leader of Essex county council, followed by visits to Alderman Blaxill school, Thomas, Lord Audley school and Sir Charles Lucas school when he visited Colchester.
	In line with the usual protocols, Lord Adonis' office informed the hon. Member for Colchester in a letter of 27 August of the date of the visit and the planned itinerary.

Alderman Blaxhill School: Colchester

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families who instigated the visit on 12 September to Alderman Blaxill school, Colchester, by the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools and Learners.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: holding answer 13 October 2008
	The then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools and Learners, visited Alderman Blaxill School, Colchester, on 12 September at the invitation of Lord Hanningfteld. Lord Hanningfield e-mailed to invite Lord Adonis on 13 June 2008.

Alderman Blaxhill School: Colchester

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 14 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1104W, on the Alderman Blaxill school, Colchester, on what date the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools and Learners visited Colchester; and what the  (a) name and  (b) position was of the member of his private office who was present during the visit.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools and Learners was accompanied by his diary manager on his visit to Alderman Blaxill School, Colchester on 12 September. It is not the Department's practice to make public any personal information relating to junior officials.

Children: Asylum

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many unaccompanied asylum-seeking children who were suspected to be victims of human trafficking came to the UK in each year for which records are available.

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	The Home Office does not collate aggregate data on the number of unaccompanied asylum seeking children coming to the UK who are suspected of being victims of human trafficking.

Children: Prisoners

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what discussions Ministers in his Department have had with children's charities on  (a) the needs of children with parents in prison and  (b) the additional support that they require.

Beverley Hughes: We have an ongoing dialogue with children's charities and voluntary organisations through the Children, Young People and Families (CYPF) grant programme, the Parenting Fund and the Parent Know How Programme to provide services to parents and families, including help with their parenting skills. This includes structured parenting programmes, support groups, counselling and helplines.
	We recently announced the injection of 16 million pounds for parenting services across the UK as part of the third round of the Parenting Fund run by the Family and Parenting Institute. Charities and voluntary organisations from 23 areas of the country will be able to apply for funding for projects that help strengthen family relationships in families where parental behaviours compromise family well being, including work to support families of offenders to improve life chances of their children.
	In January, we published the joint priority review of the children of offenders with the Ministry of Justice. This includes commitment to explore ways in which the National Offender Management Service and children's service can assess and meet a child's needs when a parent goes to prison; and to set clear and achievable expectations of offender managers and local partners to improve support for these families.
	We have also highlighted the families of offenders as being a priority group to local authorities in their work to decide where to target the significantly increased funding (over 120 million for 2008-11) we have made available for targeted initiatives to support families with high levels of need, with a particular focus on parenting skills. These include family intervention projects, the parenting early intervention programme, family pathfinders respect parenting practitioners and funding for at least one new parenting expert in every local authority to provide evidence-based parenting programmes for parents of children who are considered to be at risk or those parents with problems that are known to put their children at risk. Children of offenders (including those in prison) have been highlighted as one of the groups to be targeted by the Family Pathfinders and for the new parenting experts and the youth crime action plan.

Departmental ICT

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what IT projects his Department is undertaking; and what the most recent estimate of  (a) the cost and  (b) the completion date of each is.

Jim Knight: The Department for Children, Schools and Families does not hold a current comprehensive list of IT expenditure at every level of detail sponsored by the Department or its delivery partners. This could be calculated only at disproportionate cost. However, some information is readily available about the eight most significant IT projects sponsored by the Department and its delivery partners. The information that follows represents the total cost of each project and not all of this will relate to hardware and software. Figures quoted are based on current plans and are subject to actual outturns. Some DCSF expenditure also includes elements relating to services provided to the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills following machinery of government changes that are not readily identifiable.
	
		
			  Projects   million 
			 ContactPoint 224 
			 e-Common Assessment Framework 44 
			 National Strategies Contract 5.5 
			 Schools RecruitmentCPP Shared Services 2.285 
			 Implementing e-Channels 34.4 
			 Identity Assurance 11-15 
			 Corporate Services Transformation programme 26 
			 GCA-Minerva 18 
		
	
	I also refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hornchurch (James Brokenshire) on 17 March 2008,  Official Report, column 604.

Departmental Official Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much was spent on overnight accommodation by his Department's civil servants in the last 12 months.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The information is not available in the form requested and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Older Workers

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many people aged over  (a) 55 and  (b) 60 years of age were recruited by his Department in 2007-08; and what percentage in each case this was of the number of new recruits.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: My Department was formed as part of the machinery of government changes announced on 28 June 2007. Figures are available from 28 June 2007 to 30 September 2008. The information is set out as follows:
	
		
			   Number/percentage 
			 Number over 55 11 
			 Number over 60 0 
			 Percentage of new recruits (over 55) 3 
			 Percentage of new recruits (over 60) 0

Departmental Pensions

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many civil servants working in his Department and its agencies have pensions with a cash-equivalent transfer value of over 1 million.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: It is not appropriate to disclose pension information for civil servants other than board members whose details are shown in the remuneration report in annual resource accounts. A copy of the Children, Schools and Families resource accounts for financial year 2007-08 can be found in the Library or accessed electronically using the following link
	www.dcsf.gov.uk/publications.
	The Department has no agencies.

Diplomas

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many places will be available for each of the diplomas for 14-to 19-year-olds in 2009-10.

Jim Knight: We do not know the number of places that will be available for diplomas in the school year 2009-10, and will not do so until young people chose their options next year.

Education: Assessments

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of students resident in each local authority area achieved a score of 1,000 or more under the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority's tariff points scheme in level three assessments taken at the end of the second year of post-16 study in 2006-07.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The information readily available relates to students on-roll in institutions in each local authority rather than by their local authority of residence. This information is given in the table that follows. Figures relating to local authority of residence can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Other summary residency-based A-level figures (but not for the detail required) for 2006/07 are available via the following link:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000808/index.shtml
	
		
			  Number and percentage of pupils achieving a QCA average point score of 1,000 or more by 2006/2007 by local authority 
			Number of pupils achieving an QCA APS of 1,000 or more  Percentage of pupils achieving an QCA APS of 1,000 or more  Number of pupils 
			 201 City of London 72 37.3 193 
			 202 Camden 110 5.9 1,865 
			 203 Greenwich 51 2.8 1,820 
			 204 Hackney 7 0.7 1,021 
			 205 Hammersmith and Fulham 217 9.1 2,376 
			 206 Islington 16 0.9 1,688 
			 207 Kensington and Chelsea 147 8.4 1,752 
			 208 Lambeth 19 2.3 844 
			 209 Lewisham 78 3.6 2,137 
			 210 Southwark 288 21.9 1,315 
			 211 Tower Hamlets 34 2.0 1,730 
			 212 Wandsworth 85 3.0 2,865 
			 213 Westminster 243 7.8 3,104 
			 301 Barking and Dagenham 46 3.2 1,454 
			 302 Barnet 438 7.5 5,862 
			 303 Bexley 176 7.9 2,226 
			 304 Brent 83 3.2 2,628 
			 305 Bromley 349 7.7 4,528 
			 306 Croydon 310 7.0 4,442 
			 307 Ealing 147 6.7 2,202 
			 306 Enfield 133 4.9 2,726 
			 309 Haringey 83 4.7 1,781 
			 310 Harrow 297 9.0 3,302 
			 311 Havering 353 10.7 3,290 
			 312 Hillingdon 172 5.0 3,415 
			 313 Hounslow 94 3.1 3,071 
			 314 Kingston upon Thames 283 9.2 3,065 
			 315 Merton 145 11.2 1,298 
			 316 Newham 33 1.2 2,745 
			 317 Redbridge 215 5.6 3,864 
			 318 Richmond upon Thames 367 10.7 3,424 
			 319 Sutton 461 14.0 3,300 
			 320 Waltham Forest 129 3.9 3,313 
			 330 Birmingham 1,161 11.2 10,341 
			 331 Coventry 226 6.9 3,278 
			 332 Dudley 500 10.0 5,006 
			 333 Sandwell 13 1.0 1,292 
			 334 Solihull 156 5.2 3,022 
			 335 Walsall 169 7.2 2,342 
			 336 Wolverhampton 163 5.7 2,857 
			 340 Knowsley 1 0.2 588 
			 341 Liverpool 278 6.0 4,606 
			 342 St. Helens 280 9.9 2,829 
			 343 Sefton 489 11.1 4,397 
			 344 Wirral 472 11.7 4,019 
			 350 Bolton 262 10.3 2,538 
			 351 Bury 427 12.3 3,471 
			 352 Manchester 495 8.6 5,726 
			 353 Oldham 211 7.0 3,001 
			 354 Rochdale 58 4.6 1,253 
			 355 Salford 88 3.7 2,393 
			 356 Stockport 438 9.1 4,806 
			 357 Tameside 131 6.4 2,032 
			 358 Trafford 419 18.1 2,310 
			 359 Wigan 545 14.5 3,758 
			 370 Barnsley 62 4.3 1,451 
			 371 Doncaster 197 7.3 2,688 
			 372 Rotherham 285 9.0 3,176 
			 373 Sheffield 399 9.6 4,150 
			 380 Bradford 341 6.0 5,657 
			 381 Calderdale 120 6.9 1,749 
			 382 Kirklees 815 15.4 5,291 
			 383 Leeds 742 9.0 8,206 
			 384 Wakefield 362 10.1 3,588 
			 390 Gateshead 69 4.7 1,465 
			 391 Newcastle upon Tyne 232 5.4 4,291 
			 392 North Tyneside 120 6.5 1,860 
			 393 South Tyneside 11 1.2 887 
			 394 Sunderland 261 10.4 2,502 
			 800 Bath and North East Somerset 168 6.6 2,539 
			 801 City of Bristol 316 7.3 4,330 
			 802 North Somerset 154 7.3 2,101 
			 803 South Gloucestershire 181 6.2 2,904 
			 805 Hartlepool 51 4.9 1,033 
			 806 Middlesbrough 119 7.0 1,689 
			 807 Redcar and Cleveland 133 8.1 1,642 
			 808 Stockton on Tees 157 7.9 1,998 
			 810 City of Kingston-upon-Hull 255 8.7 2,940 
			 811 East Riding of Yorkshire 171 6.2 2,770 
			 812 North East Lincolnshire 134 6.9 1,929 
			 813 North Lincolnshire 253 10.9 2,311 
			 815 North Yorkshire 909 11.3 8,033 
			 816 York 348 12.8 2,717 
			 820 Bedfordshire 383 7.2 5,312 
			 821 Luton 51 2.6 1,937 
			 825 Buckinghamshire 836 12.0 6,941 
			 826 Milton Keynes 145 7.6 1,899 
			 830 Derbyshire 570 8.9 6,373 
			 831 City of Derby 124 5.4 2,286 
			 835 Dorset 358 8.5 4,207 
			 836 Poole 229 9.0 2,554 
			 837 Bournemouth 125 15.9 786 
			 840 Durham 236 5.4 4,382 
			 841 Darlington 281 12.9 2,181 
			 845 East Sussex 197 3.3 5,973 
			 846 Brighton and Hove 341 8.9 3,848 
			 850 Hampshire 2,552 12.2 20,883 
			 851 Portsmouth 55 6.6 836 
			 852 Southampton 87 3.9 2,234 
			 855 Leicestershire 698 8.2 8,527 
			 856 Leicester City 240 5.4 4,458 
			 857 Rutland 86 21.8 394 
			 860 Staffordshire 626 7.6 8,226 
			 861 Stoke-on-Trent 115 5.4 2,148 
			 865 Wiltshire 421 8.1 5,175 
			 866 Swindon 72 3.8 1,871 
			 867 Bracknell Forest 69 5.6 1,229 
			 868 Windsor and Maidenhead 261 12.1 2,151 
			 869 West Berkshire 255 10.2 2,498 
			 870 Reading 146 11.6 1,263 
			 871 Slough 156 9.0 1,735 
			 872 Wokingham 102 5.6 1,823 
			 873 Cambridgeshire 948 13.8 6,860 
			 874 Peterborough 159 7.5 2,122 
			 875 Cheshire 904 10.7 8,452 
			 876 Halton 53 4.7 1,117 
			 877 Warrington 168 7.0 2,386 
			 878 Devon 496 6.5 7,596 
			 879 Plymouth 225 9.4 2,403 
			 880 Torbay 190 12.0 1,580 
			 881 Essex 1,493 10.4 14,347 
			 882 Southend 321 12.8 2,506 
			 883 Thurrock 39 2.1 1,870 
			 884 Herefordshire 373 16.8 2,226 
			 885 Worcestershire 613 8.2 7,462 
			 886 Kent 1,708 10.0 16,999 
			 887 Medway 304 8.9 3,430 
			 888 Lancashire 1,467 13.0 11,270 
			 889 Blackburn 105 4.5 2,308 
			 890 Blackpool 194 8.8 2,216 
			 891 Nottinghamshire 469 6.4 7,314 
			 892 Nottingham City 518 12.3 4,205 
			 893 Shropshire 394 10.1 3,883 
			 894 Telford and Wrekin 201 11.3 1,784 
			 908 Cornwall 325 5.8 5,609 
			 909 Cumbria 604 11.3 5,359 
			 916 Gloucestershire 890 10.2 8,728 
			 919 Hertfordshire 1,240 7.3 17,004 
			 921 Isle of Wight 35 2.7 1,316 
			 925 Lincolnshire 749 10.5 7,107 
			 926 Norfolk 586 7.8 7,500 
			 928 Northamptonshire 525 6.5 8.050 
			 929 Northumberland 230 6.8 3,398 
			 931 Oxfordshire 793 9.0 8,828 
			 933 Somerset 530 7.3 7,223 
			 935 Suffolk 649 10.0 6,488 
			 936 Surrey 1,468 8.4 17,403 
			 937 Warwickshire 689 8.7 7,889 
			 938 West Sussex 592 6.0 9,799 
			  
			  England 51,092 8.6 596,575 
			  Note: Figures relate to 16 to 18-year-olds (age at start of academic year, i.e. 31 August) entered for level 3 qualifications in all institutions.

Further Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what research his Department has  (a) commissioned,  (b) evaluated and  (c) undertaken on the influence of sixth forms in schools on rates of post-16 participation in education by other pupils attending the schools.

Jim Knight: The Department commissioned and published research by the university of Southampton in 2004 on the influence of the school in the decision to participate in post-16 education. The research found that schools with sixth forms promoted post-16 academic routes more actively and narrowly than schools without sixth forms and that careers advice in schools with sixth forms was felt by pupils to be less impartial and favouring of an academic tradition and sixth form provision than advice provided in schools without sixth forms.
	The Department has also conducted internal analyses using sources such as the youth cohort study and matched administrative data. These analyses show that young people are more likely to stay on in full-time education at age 16 if they are in a school with a sixth form, but this participation gap becomes small if part-time education and training are included. It is likely that these gaps are largely accounted for by differences in the characteristics (such as prior attainment) of pupils attending schools with and without sixth forms. The latest participation rate figures are given in the answer of 23 October 2008,  Official Report, column 577W.

Further Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to the Answer of 8 October 2007,  Official Report, column 389W, what proportion of pupils aged 16 to 18 years in  (a) further education colleges and  (b) school sixth forms were from highly deprived backgrounds in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08.

Jim Knight: Information is available using matched administrative data and eligibility for free school meals at age 15 as a proxy for income deprivation. Of those 16-to 18-year-olds in further education colleges and maintained school sixth forms in 2006/07, 13 per cent. and 8 per cent. respectively were eligible for and claiming free school meals at age 15. Information for 2007/08 is not yet available.

General Certificate of Secondary Education: North East

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of students achieved five A* to C GCSEs including English and mathematics in each local education authority area in the north-east region in  (a) 2005,  (b) 2006 and  (c) 2007; what percentage of such students were in receipt of free school meals in each year; and what percentage of students not in receipt of free school meals achieved that standard in each year.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The percentage of students at the end of key stage 4 in each local education authority achieving five A* to C GCSEs including English and mathematics, broken down by free school meal eligibility, for 2007, can be found in table 49 of the National Curriculum Assessment, GCSE and Equivalent Attainment and Post-16 Attainment by Pupil Characteristics, in England 2006/07 statistical first release (SFR) accessible at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000759/index.shtml
	For 2006, similar information can be found in table 73 of the National Curriculum Assessment, GCSE and Equivalent Attainment and Post-16 Attainment by Pupil Characteristics in England 2005/06 (Provisional) SFR accessible at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000693/index.shtml
	and for 2005, in table 91 of the National Curriculum Assessment, GCSE and Equivalent Attainment and Post-16 Attainment by Pupil Characteristics, in England 2005 SFR accessible at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000640/index.shtml
	These figures are for maintained schools only, including academies and city technology colleges and excluding independent schools, independent special schools and non-maintained special schools.

Gifted Children

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of schools have a gifted and talented register in  (a) the primary sector and  (b) the secondary sector.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: In total, 94 per cent. of secondary schools and 76 per cent. of primary schools completed the question requesting confirmation of their gifted and talented pupils in the January 2008 school census. We do not collect information about the form in which schools keep records of their gifted and talented pupils.

Mentally Ill Staff

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what information his Department has gathered on the effect of its policies and practices on the recruitment, development and retention of employees with mental illnesses within  (a) his Department and  (b) the public sector bodies for which he has responsibility; and what use has been made of that information.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department has an equality and diversity delivery plan that has several action points to help with the retention and development of disabled staff, including updating our current guidance on working with disabled staff and the provision of a stress management policy. In addition, the Department uses the guaranteed interview scheme for registered disabled staff when recruiting externally and for the internal job filling.
	The Department makes reasonable adjustments for people with mental health related disabilities and has an occupational health service that advises managers on the steps they can take to help people with mental health related illnesses return to and stay in work. A confidential welfare service is also available for staff who may wish to discuss any health related issues.
	The Department monitors the equality impact of its policies through the people survey and the information it holds on employees, but small numbers can often make this difficult for specific disabilities.
	Executive non-departmental public bodies operate within the same legislation as the Department but information is not held centrally by the Department on specific actions that they take and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Pre-school Education: Manpower

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what qualifications his Department  (a) approves and  (b) recommends for people working in child care.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 23 October 2008
	We are committed to creating a highly skilled work force to deliver truly world class early years services, including having a graduate early years professional (EYP) to lead practice. We aim to have an EYP in every children's centre by 2010 and in every full day care setting by 2015. All children's centres offering early years provision must also have a minimum 0.5 of a qualified teacher involved in planning and delivering the service before designation. Centres should aim to increase this to be a full time post within 18 months.
	In addition to this, we have put in place qualification requirements for staff delivering the early years foundation stage (EYFS); at least one member of staff must hold a full and relevant level 3 (as defined by the Children's Workforce Development CouncilCWDC) and at least half of all other staff must hold a full and relevant level 2 (as defined by CWDC). A new list of full and relevant qualifications will shortly be available on the CWDC website:
	http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/

Pupils

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of students  (a) were eligible for free school meals,  (b) had a statement of special educational needs and  (c) were on School Action Plus in (i) grammar schools and (ii) maintained secondary schools other than grammar schools in each local education authority in the latest year for which figures are available.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The requested information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Schools

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his policy is on the use of support federations to turn around failing schools; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: A range of policies for tackling underperforming schools is available to local authorities and the Department. Policies such as improving management, forming federations and other collaborative arrangements, adding additional governors, taking back delegated budgets or replacing a governing body with an interim executive board are effective tools to help raise standards and sustain improvements in underperforming schools.
	Federation is a governance structure which provides a firm and flexible basis for extensive school to school partnership. It is one of the powerful structural models that may be adopted by National Challenge schools to secure long-term school improvement. The single governing body of a hard federation provides a framework of sustained support, replication of practice and opportunity to share expertise and resources. Support federations are an effective way of schools working in partnership through formal shared governance structures to raise standards and drive significant improvement.

Schools: Demolition

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many school buildings built before 1900 were demolished in each local authority area in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: The Department for Children, Schools and Families does not hold information on school buildings built before 1900 that have been demolished in local authority areas over the last five years. It does, however, give guidance to local authorities wishing to retain historic school buildings in school use through its publication, 'Transforming Schools: An Inspirational Guide to Remodelling Secondary Schools', and through its collaboration with English Heritage on their position statement, 'The Future of Historic School Buildings'. In both the Building Schools for the Future and the Primary Capital programmes, we are happy to support local plans that retain and restore historic school buildings.

Schools: Standards

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether schools classified as National Challenge schools on the basis of 2007 GCSE results will continue to be classified as National Challenge schools if their 2008 GCSE results were over the National Challenge 2008 threshold; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Our ambition is that by 2011 no school will have fewer than 30 per cent. of pupils achieving five or more GCSE A*-C grade passes including English and mathematics. The National Challenge will provide help and resources for all schools that are currently below this benchmark. Support through the National Challenge programme will also be available to schools achieving results above 30 per cent., which need it to sustain results above the benchmark and continue on a positive trajectory.
	We have also been clear from the outset that many National Challenge schools are improving fast, have excellent leadership and high aspirations, and are not only on track to reach the benchmark but also ready to go far beyond it. This was demonstrated by the record GSCE results this summer. Many schools reached, and sometimes far exceeded, the 30 per cent. benchmark and I offer congratulations to all head teachers, staff and pupils in schools whose results have improved.

Secondary Education: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what surveys his Department has conducted to estimate the proportion of the school student population in Peterborough which wishes to stay on in full-time education beyond GCSEs; and what the findings were.

Jim Knight: There are a number of national surveys conducted by the Department that have asked young people about their intentions after age 16, such as the longitudinal study of young people in England, the youth cohort study and the education maintenance allowance pilots. However, these all have sample sizes designed to give accurate estimates at a national level and would not be able to provide reliable estimates for local authorities such as Peterborough.
	Ofsted have run a school-based survey called Tellus for school children in Peterborough and in 2007 which asked year 6, 8 and 10 pupils what they hope to do when they leave school. The results of this are given in the following table:
	
		
			  Table 6c : What do you hope to do when you leave school? (Tick one box only) 
			  Percentage 
			   Peterborough  National 
			 Get a job at 16 20 16 
			 Study and get a job at 18 20 17 
			 Study and go to university 43 50 
			 Something else 7 7 
			 Don't know 10 10

Specialised Diplomas

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils have been entered for each available diploma, broken down by sex.

Jim Knight: In summer 2009 we will have information about the proportions of pupils entered for diplomas, broken down by gender for those pupils sitting examinations in 2009.

Specialised Diplomas

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils have been entered for diploma qualifications, broken down by local authority.

Jim Knight: The Secretary of State made a statement in the House of Commons on 13 October 2008 about the number of young people who have embarked on a diploma course. A breakdown by local authority is included as follows.
	
		
			  Local authority  Number of young people starting a diploma 
			 Barking and Dagenham 77 
			 Barnsley 79 
			 Birmingham 218 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 6 
			 Bolton 113 
			 Bradford 77 
			 Brighton and Hove 37 
			 Bromley 188 
			 Buckinghamshire 46 
			 Bury 46 
			 Calderdale 108 
			 Cambridgeshire 67 
			 Cheshire 169 
			 Cornwall 165 
			 Coventry 105 
			 Croydon (1) 
			 Cumbria 118 
			 Derby 27 
			 Derbyshire (1) 
			 Dorset 65 
			 Dudley 146 
			 Durham 10 
			 Ealing 62 
			 East Sussex 342 
			 Gateshead 49 
			 Gloucestershire 20 
			 Hackney 141 
			 Halton 25 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 66 
			 Hampshire 166 
			 Haringey 26 
			 Harrow 6 
			 Hartlepool 30 
			 Hertfordshire 574 
			 Hillingdon 16 
			 Hounslow 51 
			 Hull (Kingston Upon) 83 
			 Islington 89 
			 Kent 155 
			 Kirklees 71 
			 Knowsley 190 
			 Lambeth (joint Southwark) 207 
			 Lancashire 100 
			 Leeds 122 
			 Leicestershire 119 
			 Lewisham 29 
			 Lincolnshire 471 
			 Liverpool 245 
			 Luton 23 
			 Manchester (1) 
			 Medway 319 
			 Middlesbrough 125 
			 Milton Keynes 44 
			 Newcastle Upon Tyne 282 
			 Newham 569 
			 Norfolk 231 
			 North East Lincolnshire 18 
			 North Somerset 132 
			 North Tyneside 112 
			 North Yorkshire 20 
			 Northamptonshire 116 
			 Nottingham City 241 
			 Nottinghamshire 131 
			 Oldham 75 
			 Oxfordshire 143 
			 Plymouth City 160 
			 Reading 314 
			 Rochdale 92 
			 Rotherham 60 
			 Rutland 49 
			 Salford 160 
			 Sefton 22 
			 Sheffield 173 
			 Shropshire 18 
			 Solihull 62 
			 Somerset 76 
			 South Gloucestershire 419 
			 Southend-on-Sea 36 
			 Southwark 49 
			 St. Helens 17 
			 Staffordshire 109 
			 Stoke on Trent (1) 
			 Suffolk 40 
			 Sunderland 145 
			 Surrey 161 
			 Swindon 198 
			 Tameside 42 
			 Torbay 115 
			 Tower Hamlets 66 
			 Trafford 140 
			 Wakefield 5 
			 Walsall 52 
			 Waltham Forest 35 
			 Wandsworth 17 
			 Warrington 54 
			 West Sussex 46 
			 Wiltshire 83 
			 Wolverhampton 301 
			 Worcestershire 126 
			 York City 205 
			 (1) Awaiting return.

Specialised Diplomas: Disadvantaged

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of pupils studying for diplomas are eligible for free school meals.

Jim Knight: In summer 2009 we will have information about the proportions of pupils entered for diplomas, broken down by those eligible for free school meals for those pupils sitting examinations in 2009.

Specialised Diplomas: Rural Areas

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has to help rural schools collaborate in offering the diploma courses.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: We have set out our assessments in Delivering 14-19 Reforms in Rural Areas, which we published on 30 June 2008. This report shows that rural and semi-rural areas face a particular set of challenges. We are committed to supporting these areas to overcome the challenges they face and know that many rural areas are already deploying a range of innovative solutions to ensure that young people get access to 14-19 provision.

Teachers: Pay

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what representations he has received on the difference in salary levels between further education lecturers and schoolteachers; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Following the machinery of government changes in 2007, responsibility for further education colleges falls to the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. I have not, therefore, received representations since that time about the relative levels of salaries payable to school teachers and further education lecturers.
	However, the Government are not the employer of FE staff and DIUS is not involved in pay issues. Following enactment of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992, FE employers became independent institutions and pay in the FE sector is a matter for the staff and colleges concerned. Pay settlements for FE colleges and sixth form colleges are agreed in consultation with staff and their unions, without Government involvement in either national or local machinery.

Teachers: Pensions

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much was paid  (a) by (i) employees and (ii) employers into and  (b) to those receiving pensions payments from the teachers' pension scheme in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: The values of contributions received to each of the last five years are:
	
		
			  000 
			   Employer contributions  Employee contributions 
			 2002-03 1,447,375 1,078,462 
			 2003-04 2,506,296 1,163,695 
			 2004-05 2,578,001 1,189,792 
			 2005-06 2,670,087 1,229,680 
			 2006-07 2,819,704 1,320,010 
		
	
	The values of benefits paid (including lump sums) in each of the last five years are:
	
		
			   Pensions  p aid (000) 
			 2002-03 3,972,147 
			 2003-04 4,190,227 
			 2004-05 4,501,543 
			 2005-06 4,898,595 
			 2006-07 5,294,682 
		
	
	The figures are taken from the published teachers' pension scheme resource accounts and vary from those provided in my response to the hon. Member on 20 October 2008,  Official Report, column 84W, which were provided on a cash basis.

Teachers: Pensions

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the annual change in cost to the public purse of the 2006 changes to the teachers' pension scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Savings in employer contributions for the teachers' pensions scheme in 2007-08 have been estimated at around 280 million a year, and will grow in subsequent years in proportion to the growth in the salary bill.

Trade Unions

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many civil servants in his Department were seconded to work for  (a) trades unions and  (b) the Trades Union Congress in each year since its inception.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department was created on 28 June 2007 and since then nobody has been seconded to a trade union or to the Trades Union Congress.
	In common with other Departments and agencies, my Department does provide agreed time off and facilities for trade union representatives to take part in trade union duties, activities and training.

Young People: Unemployment

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many people aged 16 to 24 years old not in education, employment or training there were in each year since 1997, broken down by  (a) constituency,  (b) local authority and  (c) region.

Beverley Hughes: The data presented in the following table (i) are taken from the labour force survey (LFS). The table shows, for each Government office region, the estimated number of people aged 16 to 24 not in employment, education or training (NEET) in the fourth quarter (October to December) of each year since 1997. Estimates are not available by constituency or by local authority.
	
		
			  Table (i): Number of 16 to 24-year-olds not in employment, education or training in quarter 4 of each year by region, 1997 to 2007 
			   North East  North West  Yorkshire and the Humber  East Midlands  West Midlands  Eastern  London  South East  South West  England 
			 1997 43,000 100,000 72,000 47,000 83,000 59,000 123,000 91,000 47,000 665,000 
			 1998 54,000 119,000 83,000 51,000 82,000 53,000 117,000 75,000 49,000 683,000 
			 1999 49,000 87,000 73,000 62,000 75,000 50,000 112,000 72,000 45,000 626,000 
			 2000 50,000 95,000 75,000 56,000 82,000 54,000 95,000 74,000 48,000 629,000 
			 2001 46,000 110,000 76,000 51,000 81,000 59,000 114,000 85,000 43,000 664,000 
			 2002 50,000 100,000 73,000 56,000 79,000 69,000 108,000 76,000 49,000 659,000 
			 2003 46,000 105,000 76,000 51,000 81,000 50,000 122,000 99,000 37,000 667,000 
			 2004 58,000 113,000 81,000 68,000 83,000 61,000 139,000 82,000 60,000 744,000 
			 2005 61,000 114,000 107,000 70,000 93,000 77,000 143,000 110,000 63,000 837,000 
			 2006 45,000 120,000 95,000 65,000 96,000 77,000 148,000 93,000 68,000 808,000 
			 2007 49,000 120,000 82,000 70,000 93,000 74,000 123,000 116,000 56,000 782,000 
			  Source: Labour Force Survey. 
		
	
	The total number of 16 to 24-year-olds not in employment, education or training has risen since 1997, but this reflects an increase in the overall population. The proportion of 16 to 24-year-olds NEET remains unchanged (table (ii)).
	
		
			  Table ( i i):  Percentage  of 16 to 24-year-olds not in employment, education or training in quarter 4 of each year by region, 1997 to 2007 
			   North East  North West  Yorkshire and the Humber  East Midlands  West Midlands  Eastern  London  South East  South West  England 
			 1997 16 14 13 11 15 11 15 11 10 13 
			 1998 20 17 16 12 15 10 14 9 10 13 
			 1999 18 12 14 14 14 10 13 9 10 12 
			 2000 18 13 14 13 15 10 11 9 10 12 
			 2001 16 15 14 11 14 11 13 10 9 13 
			 2002 17 13 13 12 14 13 13 9 10 12 
			 2003 15 13 13 11 14 9 14 12 7 12 
			 2004 19 14 13 14 14 11 16 9 11 13 
			 2005 19 14 17 14 15 13 17 13 12 15 
			 2006 14 14 14 12 15 13 17 11 12 14 
			 2007 15 14 12 13 15 12 14 13 10 13 
			  Source: Labour Force Survey. 
		
	
	It is important to note that as with all survey estimates, these estimates from the LFS are subject to sampling error. The figures should therefore be treated with caution.